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Descriptions of the Thymus of North Africa, Ethiopia and the Canary Islands 1. T. saturejoides Cosson, Bull. Soc. Bot. France 20: 253 (1873) Small generally upright shrub; stems decumbent sometimes rooting, with short hairs. Leaves 5-12 x 1-2mm, spathulate, glabrous, shortly ciliate at the base, with spheroidal glands. Inflorescence simple or branched, generally capitate; bracteoles narrowly lanceolate, acute, ciliate, shorter than the calyx or longer. Calyx 3.5-5mm, pedicillate, glabrous; lower teeth up to 3mm, the upper c.0.8mm, not ciliate, the central tooth longer. Corolla white to purple. Flowers May-July. Altitude 350-2100m. South and south-west Morocco 2 subspecies are recognised Leaves 6-12mm; inflorescence generally branched; bracteoles up to 10mm, which protrude conspicuously from the inflorescence ..........ssp.saturejoides Leaves 5-9mm; inflorescence in general simple; bracteoles up to 6mm, not protruding from the inflorescence .......................ssp.commutatus a) ssp. saturejoides Small shrub up to 20cm, sometimes spreading. Inflorescence dense, generally branched; bracteoles up to 10mm, protruding from the inflorescence; pedicels up to 3mm. Calyx 4-5mm. Corolla pink to purple. Flowers May-July Altitude 350-1800m b) ssp. comutatus Batt., Bull. Soc. Bot. France 58: 436 (1911) Small shrub to 30cm. Leaves 5-9mm. Inflorescence generally lax and not branched; bracteoles to 6mm, not protruding from the inflorescence; pedicels to 2.5mm. Calyx 3.5-4.4mm. Corolla white to purple. Flowers May-July. Altitude 1000-2100m 2. T. riatarum Humbert & Maire in Emberger & Maire, Mem. Soc. Sci. Nat. Maroc 17: 43 (1928) Small shrub 5-15cm, generally creeping and rooting; stems up to 30cm, woody, with backward pointing hairs and yellow or reddish spheroidal glands. Leaves 5-11x1-1.5mm, in dense bunches, spathulate, ciliate, glabrous with spheroidal glands. Flowers axillary, born between the leaves with hairy pedicels up to 2mm long, bracteoles linear, up to 3mm. Calyx 4-5 mm, glabrous, tube covered with spheroidal glands; upper teeth c.1mm, not ciliate, the central tooth longer; lower teeth c. 2mm, with short cilia. Corolla up to 8mm, mauve to cream; the three lower lobes up to 3mm, the upper notched. Stamens exserted. Flowers June-July and sporadically in September. North of Morocco, Rif
and Tazzeka mountains . 3. T. munbyanus Boiss. & Reuter, Pugill. Pl. Afr. Bor. Hispan.:96 (1852) Small shrub 7-30cm, generally erect but sometimes spreading; stems hairy. Leaves 4-11x0.8-1.5mm, linear, revolute, hairy, ciliate. Inflorescence capitate or in vertillasters; bracts 6.5-14x1.5-6mm, lanceolate to elliptic, more or less hairy with cilia c.1mm; pedicel up to 2mm. Calyx 5-7mm, tube hairy; teeth ciliate, the lower 3-4mm, the upper 0.8-1.5mm, more or less coloured. Corolla 7-12mm, pink to purple. Flowers Feb-July. Altitude 200-1900m. Two subspecies are recognised- Leaves with back and front shortly hairy; inflorescence generally spiciform; bracts elliptical to lanceolate, rarely acuminate (narrowing to a sharp point) ............ssp. munbyanus Leaves with back whitish, with hairs longer and more dense than on the front; inflorescence capitate; bracts obovate to elliptical, generally acuminate..........ssp. coloratus a) ssp munbyanus Small shrub 7-29cm, more or less erect; stems with short retrorse (backwards pointing) hairs. Leaves 4-8xc.1mm, linear, with uniform covering of very short hairs, sometimes glabrescent. Inflorescence generally spiciform; bracts 6.5-14x1.5-4mm, more or less lanceolate, irregularly ciliate sometimes coloured. Calyx 5-7mm; lower teeth 3.5-4mm, the upper 1-1.5mm. Corolla 8-12mm, pink. Flowers Feb-July. Altitude 200-1900m. Central and northern Morocco and some localities in Algeria b) ssp. coloratus (Boiss. & Reuter) Greuter & Burdet, Willdenowia 15: 82 (1985) Small shrub 8-25cm; stems frequently procumbent, those which are born along the flowering stems, hairy, more densely hairy towards the end, with short hairs and a few longer ones. Leaves 5-11x0.8-1.5mm, frequently recurved, with the back densely hairy with hairs short and whitish, the front with very short hairs. Inflorescence generally spheroidal, c.2cm, sometimes lengthened; bracts 7-12.5x3-6mm, elliptical to obovate, acute, more or less acuminate, densely ciliate, whitishly hairy on the back, with short hairs on the front somewhat hairless towards the centre, with well defined nerves, sometimes purple. Calyx 5-6.5mm, with the tube shorter than the lips, hairy with both short and long hairs; lower teeth 3-3.5mm, upper teeth 0.8-1.5mm. Corolla 7-11mm, with lower lobes 2-2.5mm, upper lobes united into one lobe sometimes emarginate, pink to purple. Stamens exserted. Flowers Feb-July. Altitude 60-1820m. central and northern Morocco and
north-east Algeria 4. T. bleicherianus Pomel, Nouv. Mat. Fl. Atlant.: 308 (1875) Small shrub 10-20cm; flowering stems ascending, 5-15cm, frequently born from creeping stems, hairy, with hairs white and stiffly upright. Leaves 10-15x0.7-1.5mm, linear-lanceolate, acute, revolute, frequently recurved, with dense axillary bunches of new leaves, ciliate on the edge from the base to 2/3 their length or more, generally glabrous, the young ones covered with an indumentum of very shot white hairs. Inflorescence 15-70mm, more or less in vertillasters, spiciform; bracts 10-17x3-6mm, lanceolate to ovate, acuminate, sometimes with revolute edge, above all towards the apex, reddish and densely hairy on the back, hairs short, densely ciliate, with the nerves not obvious; bracteoles c.3mm, linear, pedicels up to 2mm, hairy. Calyx 7-9.5mm, reddish on the back, with long hairs on the front; lower teeth c.4mm, upper teeth c. 2mm, ciliate. Corolla purple, tube up t 14mm; upper lip slightly divided. Flowers April-May. Altitude 400-450m. Northern Morocco and north-east of Algeria. 5. T. hyemalis ssp.fumanifolius (Pau ex Font Quer) R. Morales Small shrub up to 15cm; stems curving, decumbent, hairy, very leafy. Leaves 3-8x0.5-2mm, linear or lanceolate, acute, revolute with cilia at the base, generally glabrous on the front and hairy on the back, with glands essentially spheroidal. Inflorescence generally capitate, sometimes lengthened; bracts c. 6x4mm, elliptical, ciliate, revolute up to the apex, generally hairy, with hairs like the cilia; pedicel up to 3mm. Calyx 4.5-7mm, tube hairy; lower teeth c.3.5mm, upper teeth c.1mm, ciliate. Corolla c. 8mm, purple. Flowers Jan-May, Nov-Dec as does the type subspecies. Altitude up to 100m. Coast of Northern Morocco and Northeast Algeria. Very variable as is the type subspecies. For instance, in spring, forms with a good supply of water have broader leaves. 6. T. zygis ssp. gracilis (Boiss.) R. Morales, Anales Jard. Bot. Madrid 41(1): 93 (1984) Small shrub5-15cm; stems upright or decumbent, hairy, with hairs generally curved backwards, whitish. Leaves 5-11x0.7-1mm, linear, revolute, ciliate at the base, generally with short hairs, above all on the back, densely dotted with spheroidal glands. Inflorescence in vertillasters sometimes up to the apex; bracts up to 2mm wide; pedicels up to 1.5mm. Calyx 3-4.5mm, tube hairy, frequently tomentose; lower teeth 1.5-2.5mm, ciliate, upper teeth c.1mm, not ciliate or with rudimentary cilia. Corolla up to 6mm, cream to pink. Flowers Apr-July. Altitude 200-1740m Morocco, South of Spain. 7. T. willdenowii Boiss., Elench. Pl. Nov. 73 (1838) Small shrub 12-22cm; stems upright or decumbent, rarely procumbent, hairy. Leaves 5-12x0.7-1mm, linear, revolute, glandular-dotted, with indumentum of fine short hairs, sometimes with cilia at the base . Inflorescence in vertillasters more or less to the apex; bracts 5-11x1.5-2.5mm, general lanceolate, incurved pedicels up to 3mm, generally with glandular hairs. Calyx 4-5mm, tube more or less hairy; upper teeth 0.8-1mm, ciliate or with scarce very short cilia, lower teeth 2-3mm, always ciliate. Corolla 6-7mm, white. Flowers March-July. Altitude 1200-2400m. Morocco and Algeria. Very variable in the degree of hairiness of the calyx and stems. 8. T. algeriensis Boiss. & Reuter, Pugill. Pl. Afr. Bor. Hispan.: 95 (1852) Small shrub c.10cm; stems curved with an indumentum of short whitish hairs. Leaves up to 7mm, linear, generally glabrous, ciliate, revolute, with spheroidal glands, the young leaves in axillary bunches. Inflorescence c.10mm diameter, in general capitate; bracts 4-6x1-1.5mm, ciliate. Calyx 3.5-4.5mm; tube with scarce and dispersed hairs; upper teeth up to 0.8mm, sometimes with very short cilia. Corolla 4mm, white or coloured. Flowers Feb-July. Altitude 20-3080m. Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia and Libya. 9. T. broussonetii Boiss., Voy. Bot Midi Esp. 2: 492 (1841) Small shrub 12-40cm; stems with short hairs, generally retrorse (curved backwards). Leaves 5-18x2-5mm, ciliate, glandular-dotted. Inflorescence capitate, 15-30x1520mm; bracts ovate to elliptical. Calyx 6-7.5mm; teeth ciliate, lower teeth c. 4mm, the central tooth of the upper teeth c. 1mm. Corolla reddish to purple. Flowers March-July. Altitude 10-1000m. Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia. Two subspecies are recognised:- Leaves more than 10cm, subpetiolate; bracts hairy only on the back...........................ssp. broussonetii Leaves less than 10cm, petiolate; bracts densely hairy on both sides, hairs long...........ssp. hannonis a) ssp. broussonetii Small shrub 15-40cm; young stems square in section, with white hairs. Leaves 10-18x2.5-5mm, elliptic-lanceolate, subpetiolate, petioles up to 1mm, glabrous, densely glandular-dotted, the new leaves in axillary bunches. Inflorescence capitate; bracts 11-18x6-10mm, elliptic-acuminate, with distinct nerves on the back, densely ciliate, frequently hairy on the back, reddish, densely dotted with glands. Calyx 6-7mm, tube with hairs long and dispersed. Corolla hairy, purple; tube up to 10mm. Flowers March-July. Altitude 50-1000m. Morocco, mainly on the Atlantic coast; and rarely in Algeria and Tunisia. Observations: The hairiness in general varies. One form has stems which have a few short hairs only and bracts which are glabrous on the back; others are much more hairy. b) ssp. hannonis (Maire) R. Morales, Anales Jardin. Botanico de Madrid, 51(2): 226 (1994) Small shrub up to 12cm, erect; stems with short backwards pointing hairs and also some long ones up to 2mm. Leaves 5-10x2-4.5mm, elliptical, petiolate, petiole up to 2.5mm, glabrous. Bracts densely hairy, with long hairs. Calyx 6-7.5mm, with long hairs. Corolla up to 12mm, reddish. Flowering period March-April. Altitude 10-150m. Morocco, Agadir, around Cape Rhir. 10. T. maroccanus Ball, J. Bot. 13: 174 (1875) Small shrub 10-35cm; stems erect, the young stems square in section, with short whitish hairs. Leaves 4-13x1-1.5mm petiolate, lanceolate to elliptical, acute, flat, with well defined central nerve and reddish spheroidal glands. Flowers dispersed in vertillasters which are variably spaced. Calyx 3-3.5mm; tube hairy. Corolla up to 7.5mm, cream to purple. Flowering period March-July. Altitude 400-1650m. Southwest Morocco. Two subspecies are recognised Leaves lanceolate, 1-3.5mm wide; calyx 3-4mm, upper teeth c.0.5mm...................ssp. maroccanus Leaves elliptical, 2.5-5.5mm wide; calyx 4.5-5.5mm, upper teeth c. 1mm...............ssp. rhombicus a) ssp. maroccanus Small shrub 10-20cm; stems with backwards pointing hairs that reach sometimes to form a total cover. Leaves 4-13x1-3.5mm, lanceolate to elliptical, shortly hairy, sometimes with the margin slightly crenate, the upper surface ciliate and the lower somewhat hairy. Calyx 3-4mm; upper teeth c.0.5mm, generally not ciliate. Flowering period March-July. Altitude 500-1650m. Southwest Morocco. b) ssp. rhombicus Huguet del Villar in Caballero, Trab. Mus. Ci. Nat., Ser. Bot., 30: 14 (1935) Small shrub 15-35cm. Leaves elliptical 6-12x2.5-5.5mm, ciliate at the base. Calyx 4.5-5.5mm, lower teeth 3.5mm, upper teeth c. 1mm, ciliate. Flowering period June. Altitude 400-1200m. Mountains around Ifni, Southwest Morocco. 11. T. lanceolatus Desf., Fl. Atlant. 2: 30 (1798) Small shrub 8-15cm; stems erect, with dense rigid hairs forming a white indumentum; lower portions of stem leafless. Leaves 12-17x3-8.5mm, petiole 1-3mm, lanceolate-elliptical, apex rounded, nerves well defined on the back, with spheroidal glands, sometimes ciliate to the base. Flowers dispersed in close vertillasters, which protrude between the large leaves; pedicels up to 3mm. Calyx 3.5-5.5mm; tube shortly hairy, densely glandular; lower teeth up to 2.5mm, upper teeth c. 0.8mm, not ciliate, the central tooth longer. Corolla up to 7mm, cream to purple. Flowering period June-Sept. Altitude 1100-1200m. Mountains of Algeria. 12. T. numidicus Poiret, Voy. Barbarie 2: 187 (1789) Small shrub up to 20cm; stems erect, all flowering, with many leaves, with hairs becoming more dense and long in the upper parts of the stem, hairs retrorse (backwards pointing). Leaves 7-15x2-6mm, lanceolate to elliptical, nerves well defined on the back, with spheroidal glands, glabrous, with fine cilia. Inflorescence up to 25x18mm, capitate; bracts 6-11x4-5mm, in general ovate, acuminate and ciliate. Calyx c. 5mm, with both sort and long hairs; upper teeth very short, less than 1mm, ciliate. Corolla violate, lower lobes long, up to 4mm. Flowering period May-June. Altitude 50-900m. Northeast Algeria in the region of Constantina. 13. T. pallescens De Noe in Bory & Durieu, Expl. Sci.
Algerie, Atlas, pl. 66, 1 (1849) Flowering period April-July. Altitude 450-750m. Algeria. 14. T. dreatensis Batt., Bull. Soc. Bot. France 35: 392 (1888) Small shrub up to 8cm, prostrate, very woody at the base, with long woody roots; stems tending to be hairy on opposite sides (alelotrichos), the vegetative stems scarcely hairy, the flowering stems with longer and more abundant hairs. Leaves 5-11x2-3mm, petiolate, lanceolate to elliptical, glabrous, ciliate to the base, with abundant spheroidal glands, leaves somewhat fleshy. Inflorescence 15-20mm, capitate; bracts 4-8x2.5-4.5mm, a little wider than the leaves, with pedicel up to 2mm, slightly ciliate. Calyx 3.5-4.5mm, tube with occasional hairs; teeth ciliate, lower teeth up to 2.5mm, upper teeth c. 1mm. Corolla whitish to pink-purple. Flowering period May-July. Altitude 2350-3630m; in rock crevices, frequently on volcanic rock. High Atlas in Morocco and mountains in Algeria. 15. T. guyonii De Noe, Bull. Soc. Bot. France 2: 580 (1855) Plant creeping, rooting; stems up to 20cm, the flowering stems up to 5cm high, short backwards pointing hairs all round stem (holotrichous). Leaves 5-6.5x2-3.5mm, petiole up to 1mm, elliptical, glabrous, without cilia, covered densely with yellowish glands. Inflorescence in closely spaced vertillasters, up to 2cm; bracts similar to the leaves but a little larger; pedicels up to 4mm, bracteoles linear c. 2mm. Calyx c. 5mm, glabrous, nerves well defined, densely glandular; lower teeth up to 3mm, upper teeth c. 1.5mm, generally not ciliate or with very short cilia. Corolla white, up to 7mm, slightly hairy, with reddish glands. Stamens exserted. Flowering period June. Inland mountains of Algeria. 16. T. origanoides Webb & Berthelot, Phytogr. Canariensis 3: 69 (1844) Small shrub, very woody. Leaves 5-10xc.5mm, petiolate, obovate, generally obtuse, glabrous, without cilia. Inflorescence dense; bracts a little different from the leaves, elliptical, ciliate. Calyx c. 5mm; upper teeth less than 1mm, not ciliate; tube shorter than the lower teeth. Corolla up to 10mm, cream. Flowering period May. Altitude 400-650m; in cracks in volcanic rocks. Lanzarote. 17. T. serrulatus Hochst. ex Bentham in DC., Prodr. Syst. Nat. 12: 203 (1848) Small shrub up to 27cm, woody, young stems with backwards pointing hairs. Leaves 6-18x1.5-6mm, obovate, glabrous, ciliate, shortly petiolate , serrate up to the apex, with 4-5 pairs of inconspicuous to distinct teeth, densely glandular with well defined nerves on the back. Inflorescence 13-25mm, dense, with flowers protruding from between the bracts; 7-11x3-4.5mm, ovate, acute, hairy on the reverse up to the base. Calyx 5-5.7mm, lips the same length as the tube; tube hairy and glandular; upper teeth 0.8-1.5mm, the central tooth generally longer, ciliate, cilia thin. Corolla 7-8mm. Flowering period Jan, May. Mountains of Ethiopia. 18. T. schimperi Ronniger, Feddes Repert. 31: 98 (1933) Small shrub 10-35cm, woody, with stems rooting; flowering stems 6-10cm, square, hairy, frequently densely leafy. Leaves 4-15x2-8mm, lanceolate to elliptical, acute, glabrous, ciliate at the base, with nerves more or less well defined on the reverse, densely glandular. Inflorescence capitate more or less globular; bracts 6-8x4-5mm, elliptical to ovate, wider than the leaves, sometimes slightly dentate and coloured on the reverse, in general densely ciliate and hairy on the reverse. Calyx 4.5-6mm, tube hairy on the ventral surface (towards the stem); upper teeth not ciliate or with very small cilia. Corolla 7-9mm, purple. Flowering period Jan-June, Aug-Sept. Altitude 200-3750m; rock crevices or meadows, in arid mountains. Ethiopia. |