Thyme

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• common-thyme
• garden-thyme
• Garden Thyme
• Thyme
• Common Thyme
• English Thyme

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Origanum thymus

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta. Within the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae, it is classified under the order Lamiales and the family Lamiaceae. Finally, it is identified by its genus, Thymus.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a diverse presence across several key regions in Europe. In Northern Europe, its range extends through both Great Britain and Ireland. Moving into Middle Europe, it can be found growing within the borders of Belgium. The species is also well-documented across the Czechia-Slovakia region. Finally, its geographical distribution includes the country of Germany.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Thymus vulgaris is characterized by its presence in lowland habitats, where it thrives within specific altitudinal constraints. This species occupies an elevational range spanning from a minimum of 2300 m AMSL to a maximum of 3800 m AMSL. Furthermore, its biological establishment in various soil types is supported by its relationship with mycorrhizae, as it exhibits a positive association with these fungal networks to facilitate nutrient uptake.

Elevational range max:

3800 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

2300 m AMSL

Habitat :

Lowland

Mycorrhiza :

yes

Life history

The life history of Thymus vulgaris is characterized by its status as a perennial plant, allowing it to persist through multiple growing seasons. It exhibits a chamaephyte life form, meaning its regenerative buds are located close to the soil surface, which aids in its survival in various environmental conditions. As an evergreen species, it maintains its foliage throughout the year, providing continuous photosynthetic capacity and structural presence.

Deciduousness :

evergreen

Life form :

chamaephyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Thymus vulgaris is characterized by its growth form as a woody subshrub, exhibiting a self-supporting structure rather than acting as a climber or vine. It is a terrestrial plant that functions as an independent organism, lacking any parasitic or epiphytic tendencies. In terms of stature, the plant maintains a relatively low profile, with a height that typically ranges from a minimum of 0.15 m to a maximum of 0.4 m, resulting in a mean plant height of approximately 0.25 m.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

shrub

Growth form :

subshrub

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

0.4 m

Plant height mean:

0.25 m

Plant height min:

0.15 m

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Thymus vulgaris is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, which dictates its carbon fixation processes and metabolic efficiency. As a non-carnivorous species, it relies on traditional nutrient uptake from the soil and does not possess nitrogen-fixing capabilities. The plant's leaf morphology is specifically adapted, featuring elliptic leaf forms with a mean width of 0.2 cm (ranging from a minimum of 0.1 cm to a maximum of 0.3 cm) and a length that typically spans between 0.5 cm and 0.7 cm. These small, specialized leaves contribute to a mean Specific Leaf Area (SLA) of 106 cm²/g, reflecting a compact leaf structure optimized for its specific environmental niche.

Carnivory :

non-carnivorous

Leaf form :

elliptic

Leaf length max:

0.7 cm

Leaf length min:

0.5 cm

Leaf width max:

0.3 cm

Leaf width mean:

0.2 cm

Leaf width min:

0.1 cm

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Specific Leaf Area (SLA) mean:

106 cm²/g

Reproduction

The reproduction of Thymus vulgaris is primarily a sexual process, as asexual reproduction is noted to be absent. The flowering period typically begins in March and concludes in June, featuring small pink flowers that range in length from 0.4 cm to 0.6 cm. These flowers rely on biotic pollination syndromes, specifically attracting insects with a strong preference for bees. Following successful pollination, the plant produces dry fruit in the form of an achene. These fruits are indehiscent and possess a width ranging from 0.05 cm to 0.1 cm. The resulting seeds are characterized by a consistent dimension of 7 mm in both length and width, with a mean seed mass of approximately 0.0007378335 g (ranging from a minimum of 0.00006 g to a maximum of 0.0083 g). Dispersal of the seeds is categorized as unspecialized, ensuring the continuation of the species through non-specific mechanisms.

Dehiscence :

indehiscent

Dispersal syndrome :

unspecialized

Flower colour :

pink

Flower length max:

0.6 cm

Flower length min:

0.4 cm

Flowering time :

Mar

Flowering time :

Jun

Fruit dryness :

dry

Fruit type :

achene

Fruit width max:

0.1 cm

Fruit width min:

0.05 cm

Pollination syndrome :

insect

Pollination syndrome :

bee

Pollination syndrome :

biotic

Reproduction asexual :

absent

Seed length mean:

7 mm

Seed mass max:

0.0083 g

Seed mass mean:

0.0007378335 g

Seed mass min:

6e-05 g

Seed width mean:

7 mm

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Thymus vulgaris has 2 reported plant parts identified across 8 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include leaf, root.

Leaf

1. International journal of microbiology
2. Pakistan journal of biological sciences : PJBS
3. Research in microbiology
4. Journal of food biochemistry
5. Journal of natural products

Root

1. Research in microbiology

Chemicals

Thymus vulgaris has 247 reported phytochemicals identified across 8 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include THYMOL, CARVACROL, P-CYMENE, rosmarinic acid, Flavonoids.

THYMOL

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of plant physiology
3. Applied biochemistry and biotechnology
4. International journal of microbiology
5. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)

CARVACROL

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of plant physiology
3. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)
4. Frontiers in nutrition
5. Biochemical and biophysical research communications

P-CYMENE

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of plant physiology
3. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)
4. Saudi journal of biological sciences
5. Frontiers in plant science

rosmarinic acid

1. Dr. Duke
2. Pakistan journal of biological sciences : PJBS
3. BMC plant biology
4. Forschende Komplementarmedizin (2006)
5. Plant physiology and biochemistry : PPB

Flavonoids

1. Open life sciences
2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
3. Saudi pharmaceutical journal : SPJ : the official publication of the Saudi Pharmaceutical Society
4. Pharmaceutisch weekblad. Scientific edition
5. Scientific reports

CINNAMIC ACID

1. Dr. Duke
2. Electrophoresis
3. Human & experimental toxicology
4. 3 Biotech
5. Life (Basel, Switzerland)

apigenin

1. Dr. Duke
2. Electrophoresis
3. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
4. Advances in clinical and experimental medicine : official organ Wroclaw Medical University
5. Molecular and cellular biochemistry

caffeic acid

1. Dr. Duke
2. Electrophoresis
3. Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland)
4. Journal of natural products
5. 3 Biotech

GAMMA-TERPINENE

1. Dr. Duke
2. Drug and chemical toxicology
3. Molecular neurobiology
4. Journal of agricultural and food chemistry

Linalool

1. Dr. Duke
2. Antibiotics (Basel, Switzerland)
3. Natural product communications
4. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Activities

Thymus vulgaris has 764 reported activities identified across 8 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant, Antimicrobial, Antibacterial, Antifungal, Hepatoprotective.

Antioxidant

1. Dr. Duke
2. Zeitschrift fur Naturforschung. C, Journal of biosciences
3. Journal of conservative dentistry : JCD
4. Applied biochemistry and biotechnology
5. Neoplasma

Antimicrobial

1. Microorganisms
2. International journal of microbiology
3. Foods (Basel, Switzerland)
4. Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania)
5. Current medicinal chemistry

Antibacterial

1. Dr. Duke
2. International journal of molecular sciences
3. Applied biochemistry and biotechnology
4. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
5. BMC complementary medicine and therapies

Antifungal

1. International journal of molecular sciences
2. Natural product research
3. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
4. BMC complementary medicine and therapies
5. Planta medica

Hepatoprotective

1. Dr. Duke
2. Applied biochemistry and biotechnology
3. Human & experimental toxicology
4. Asian Pacific journal of tropical medicine
5. Heliyon

Anticancer

1. Dr. Duke
2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
3. Current pharmaceutical design
4. Drug and chemical toxicology

Antispasmodic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania)
3. Planta medica
4. Heliyon

Antiviral

1. Dr. Duke
2. Reviews on recent clinical trials
3. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
4. Heliyon

Anticonvulsant

1. Dr. Duke
2. Food and chemical toxicology : an international journal published for the British Industrial Biological Research Association
3. Heliyon

Antidepressant

1. Dr. Duke
2. Advances in gerontology = Uspekhi gerontologii
3. Heliyon

Conditions

Thymus vulgaris has 140 reported investigations on conditions identified across 8 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, inflammation, oxidative stress, COVID-19.

Escherichia coli

1. Natural product communications
2. Indian journal of pharmaceutical sciences
3. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
4. BMC complementary medicine and therapies
5. Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland)

Staphylococcus aureus

1. Natural product communications
2. Indian journal of pharmaceutical sciences
3. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
4. BMC complementary medicine and therapies
5. Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland)

Inflammation

1. Food science & nutrition
2. Veterinary sciences
3. Animals : an open access journal from MDPI
4. Journal of the science of food and agriculture
5. Heliyon

Oxidative stress

1. Environmental science and pollution research international
2. Saudi pharmaceutical journal : SPJ : the official publication of the Saudi Pharmaceutical Society
3. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
4. Mutagenesis
5. Molecular and cellular biochemistry

Covid-19

1. Turkish journal of biology = Turk biyoloji dergisi
2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
3. Infection and drug resistance
4. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)

Candida albicans

1. BMC complementary medicine and therapies
2. Planta medica
3. Journal of dentistry (Shiraz, Iran)
4. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Pseudomonas aeruginosa

1. Journal of intercultural ethnopharmacology
2. BMC complementary medicine and therapies
3. Frontiers in pharmacology
4. Pakistan journal of pharmaceutical sciences

Aspergillus niger

1. BMC complementary medicine and therapies
2. Foodborne pathogens and disease
3. Life (Basel, Switzerland)

E. coli

1. Applied biochemistry and biotechnology
2. Journal of biological regulators and homeostatic agents
3. Restorative dentistry & endodontics

Listeria monocytogenes

1. Letters in applied microbiology
2. Natural product communications
3. Acta biologica Hungarica

Preparations

Thymus vulgaris has 52 reported preparations identified across 8 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include essential oils, essential oil, extracts, ethanolic extracts, methanolic extracts.

Essential oils

1. Scientific reports
2. Natural product research
3. Nutrients
4. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)
5. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Essential oil

1. Frontiers in nutrition
2. Research in microbiology
3. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
4. Brain research
5. Journal of dentistry (Shiraz, Iran)

Extracts

1. Electrophoresis
2. Mutagenesis
3. Acta odontologica latinoamericana : AOL
4. Inflammopharmacology
5. Toxics

Ethanolic extracts

1. International journal of microbiology
2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
3. Letters in applied microbiology

Methanolic extracts

1. Phytochemical analysis : PCA
2. Cellular and molecular biology (Noisy-le-Grand, France)
3. Toxics

Eo

1. Letters in applied microbiology
2. Food and chemical toxicology : an international journal published for the British Industrial Biological Research Association

Aqueous extract

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology
2. International journal of nanomedicine

Hydroalcoholic extracts

1. Food research international (Ottawa, Ont.)
2. Frontiers in nutrition

Methanol extracts

1. Fitoterapia
2. Iranian journal of cancer prevention

80% methanolic fraction

1. Journal of biological regulators and homeostatic agents