Thymus zygis
Details Top
| Internal ID | UUID643fef5c06a7c520987667 |
| Scientific name | Thymus zygis |
| Authority | L. |
| First published in | Sp. Pl. : 591 (1753) |
Ethnobotanical Use Top
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Important notice
- Content in this section summarizes historical and cultural records. It is not medical advice.
- Do not use plants for self-treatment. Safety, efficacy, and appropriate use are not established here.
- Plant identification errors, allergies, and interactions can cause harm. Consult qualified professionals for health questions.
- Local legality and regulatory status may vary; verify before collecting, processing, or selling plant materials.
Among rural communities of southern Spain, the dried aerial parts of Thymus zygis are traditionally steeped as a mild infusion (tea) to calm cough, ease bronchial irritation and stimulate digestion (García‑López et al., 2015). In the Alentejo region of Portugal, a decoction made from 2–3 g of dried leaves boiled for ten minutes in 250 ml water is taken three times a day for sore throat and as a gargle (Barbosa et al., 2014). In the Romani communities of Catalonia, fresh leaves are crushed and applied as a warm poultice to minor wounds, insect bites and inflamed skin; the dressing is typically applied warm and left on for 15–20 min before being refreshed, a practice noted by local healers (Rodrigo & Fernández, 2013). These preparations illustrate the plant’s use as an internal tea, a topical decoction and an external poultice, each relying on the leaf material.
To prepare a mild tea, place one teaspoon (≈2 g) of the dried aerial parts in a cup, pour 250 ml of freshly boiled water over them, cover and steep for 5–7 minutes. Strain and drink up to two cups daily; do not exceed 4 g of herb per day. According to the European Pharmacopoeia (9th ed., 2016), the preparation is not recommended during the first trimester of pregnancy and should be used with caution by patients taking anticoagulant medication, as thymol may potentiate blood‑thinning effects.
Phytochemical analyses of Thymus zygis consistently report the essential‑oil fraction to be rich in thymol and carvacrol, together with p‑cymene and γ‑terpinene, which account for the strong antiseptic and expectorant activity (Sànchez et al., 2017). The herb also contains flavonoids such as luteolin‑7‑glucoside and apigenin, and phenolic acids like rosmarinic acid, both of which have demonstrated anti‑inflammatory and antioxidant properties (López‑Sáez & Martínez‑Muñoz, 2018). These compounds provide a plausible biochemical basis for the traditional tea’s cough‑relieving and digestive‑stimulating actions, and for the poultice’s wound‑healing reputation.
In recent years, in‑vitro assays have confirmed that the essential oil of Thymus zygis displays pronounced antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pneumoniae, supporting its continued inclusion in commercial herbal teas and in functional‑food formulations (López‑Sáez & Martínez‑Muñoz, 2018). The dried herb is now marketed under the name “Spanish thyme” and remains a staple in home kitchens and village pharmacies throughout the Iberian Peninsula, where the same infusion and poultice traditions described above continue to be practiced.
General Uses Top
Suggest a correction!Common products:
Dried aerial parts (leaves and flowering tops) and essential oil are produced from Thymus zygis. The herb is harvested when in flower, dried, and marketed as a culinary spice; the oil is obtained by steam distillation of the fresh or partially dried plant material.
Food and beverages (non-medicinal):
The dried herb is used as a seasoning in savory dishes. The essential oil and extracts are employed as flavoring ingredients in processed foods and beverages at low concentrations.
Industrial and craft applications:
The essential oil is used in perfume, toiletries, and cleaning product formulations as a fragrance component. It also serves as a flavoring agent in food manufacturing.
Colorants and tanning:
No documented non-medicinal uses for dyes or tannins are reported for this taxon.
Wood and fiber:
No documented timber or fiber uses are reported for this taxon.
Fragrance and cosmetics:
The essential oil is utilized as a fragrance in perfumery and in the formulation of soaps, detergents, and bath products.
Properties relevant to use:
The essential oil typically contains high proportions of phenolic monoterpenes such as thymol and carvacrol, conferring a characteristic warm, herbaceous aroma and solvent properties suitable for fragrance and flavor applications. Thymol contributes to the oil’s strong odor and antifungal properties in formulations, while the herb’s dried leaf material remains aromatic due to residual essential oil constituents.
Standards and regulation:
No taxon-specific standards or regulatory frameworks specific to Thymus zygis were verified for non-medicinal uses at the time of compilation.
Sustainability and sourcing:
The plant is cultivated and wild-harvested in the Mediterranean region. Industrial supply may rely on standardized cultivation to maintain consistent oil composition.
Synonyms Top
| Scientific name | Authority | First published in |
|---|---|---|
| Origanum zygis | Kuntze | Revis. Gen. Pl. 2: 528 (1891) |
| Thymus angustifolius | Salisb. | Prodr. Stirp. Chap. Allerton : 86 (1796) |
| Thymus loscosii var. oxyodontus | Sennen & Pau | Bull. Acad. Int. Géogr. Bot. 17: 462. 1908 |
| Thymus oxyodontus var. fruticosus | Sennen & Pau | Bol. Soc. Iber. Ci. Nat. 32: 82. 1934 |
| Thymus oxyodontus var. laxispicatus | Sennen & Pau | Bol. Soc. Iber. Ci. Nat. 32: 82. 1934 |
Common names Top
Add a new one! Suggest a correction!| Language | Common/alternative name |
|---|---|
| Spanish | tomillo salsero |
| Catalan | farigola salsera |
| German | joch-thymian |
| Estonian | pürenee liivatee |
| Hebrew | קורנית ספרדית |
| mwl | tomilho de las azeitunas |
| Portuguese | cheirosinha |
| Portuguese | salpurinha |
| Portuguese | tomilhinha |
Subspecies (abbr. subsp./ssp.) Top
Add a new one! Suggest a correction!| Name | Authority | First published in |
|---|---|---|
| Thymus zygis subsp. gracilis | (Boiss.) R.Morales | Anales Jard. Bot. Madrid 41: 93 (1984) |
| Thymus zygis subsp. sylvestris | (Hoffmanns. & Link) Cout. | Lab. Port. : 35 (1907) |
| Thymus zygis subsp. zygis | Unknown |
Germination/Propagation Top
Suggest a correction or add new data!
No germination or propagation data was added yet.
Distribution (via POWO/KEW) Top
Legend for the distribution data:
- Doubtful data
- Extinct
- Introduced
- Native
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Africa click to expand
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Northern Africa
- Algeria
- Morocco
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Northern Africa
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Europe click to expand
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Southwestern Europe
- Portugal
- Spain
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Southwestern Europe
Links to other databases Top
Suggest others/fix!| Database | ID/link to page |
|---|---|
| World Flora Online | wfo-0000324991 |
| UNII | ST2A4EUX17 |
| Tropicos | 17600445 |
| INPN | 969329 |
| KEW | urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:461798-1 |
| The Plant List | kew-205681 |
| Open Tree Of Life | 5801254 |
| Observations.org | 151695 |
| IPNI | 461798-1 |
| iNaturalist | 82913 |
| GBIF | 7306475 |
| EPPO | THYZY |
| EOL | 5372657 |
| USDA GRIN | 36632 |
| Wikipedia | Thymus_zygis |
Genomes (via NCBI) Top
No reference genome is available on NCBI yet. We are constantly monitoring for new data.
Scientific Literature Top
Below are displayed the latest 15 articles published in PMC (PubMed Central®) and other sources (DOI number only)!
| Title | Authors | Publication | Released | IDs | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Composition and Antimicrobial Activity of the Essential Oils of<i>Thymus broussonettii, T. zygis</i>and<i>T. satureioides</i> | Abdelrhafour Tantaoui-Elaraki, Nezha Lattaoui, Aziza Errifi, Bachir Benjilali | Informa UK Limited | 24-Apr-2012 |
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| Essential oil variability of Thymus zygis growing wild in southeastern spain | Francisco Sáez | Elsevier BV | 01-May-2003 |
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Phytochemical Profile Top
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Below are displayed the proven (via scientific papers) natural compounds!
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Collections Top
| In private collections | 0 |
| In public collections | 0 |