Thymus pulegioides L.

Semi-prostrate, sometimes mat-forming, herb; stems somewhat woody at base, long-creeping and all reproductive, ± ascending towards tip, with hairs mainly confined to angles. Lvs shortly petiolate; lamina 4–8–(10) × 1–4–(5) mm, elliptic, ciliolate, otherwise glabrous except for a few long hairs at base and on petiole, dotted with oil globules. Fls terminal, in dense heads of mostly uninterrupted verticels. Bracts similar to lvs, < to slightly > calyx, green or purple. Calyx c. 3 mm long, campanulate, usually purple, nearly glabrous or nerves hairy, dotted with oil globules, with tuft of white hairs in throat; teeth of lower lip subulate, long-ciliate; teeth of upper lip triangular, minutely ciliolate. Corolla 5–6 mm long, purplish or rose, occasionally white, ± hairy outside, especially near apex of lobes; tube not or somewhat exserted; lobes all ± elliptic-oblong, those of lower lip at an acute angle to upper. Stamens exserted; anthers reddish purple. Nutlets not seen.

[From: Webb et al. (1988) Flora of New Zealand. Volume 4.]

Flowering: Dec.–Mar.