Thymus polytrichus A Kern ex Borbás (T. drucei Ronninger T. praecox subsp. arcticus (E Durand)Jalas T. serpyllum auct., non L.; T. serpyllum sensu Bab. pro parte; T. froelichianus sensu Bab; T. carniolicus auct.; T. neglectus Ronn.)
First record: Corbyn, 1656
Serpillum hirsutum G. 571. Corbyn,1656.
Martyn,1727,48.
Serpyllum vulgare Wild Tyme, Mother of Tyme. In hilly and dry localities. Ray,1660,154(113).
Serpyllum vulgare Wild Thyme, Mother of Thyme. Ray,1670:282.
Serpyllum Officinarum Martyn,1727,48.
Common in the (1) Cambridge. (2) Royston, (3( Wimpole Districts, chiefly in the chalky tracts. Bab.1860,177.
There have been a number of misidentifications of T. serpyllum s.s. These have subsequently been identified as T. polytrichus or as requiring confirmation. Babington recognized only 2 species of Thymus: his T. serpyllum included our T. polytrichus.
23
Nr Ashwell; WWN. Bab.MS.Fl.561.
24
Steeple Morden; WWN. Bab.MS.Fl.561; Chalk grassland along the W edge of Morden Grange Plantation, Steeple Morden, CD Pigott, 1951, CGE; S edge of Morden Grange Plantation, 296.400, with T. drucei, coll. as T.?pulegioides, SM Walters, 5.7.1953, det. CD Pigott, CGE; SE edge of Morden Grange Plantation, 295.402, coll. as ?drucei but >serpyllum, SM Walters, 5.7.1953, CGE; Steeple Morden, 24V, T James, 1990, [R]; Morden Grange Plantation, JCA Rahmell, 3.9.1997, [R].
25
Gamlingay. Bab.MS.Fl.561.
34
Barrington. Bab.MS.Fl.561.
Croydon. Bab.MS.Fl.561.
Litlington. Bab.MS.Fl.561; By Litlington chalkpits, PD Sell, 7.7.1950, conf. CD Pigott, CGE.
Litlington chalk pit, 316.417, A Craig, 28.6.1993, [R]; A Fells, 12.7.1997, [R]; DA Wells & CD Preston, 22.8.1997, [R]; T Pankhurst, 5.10.2001, [R].
Kneesworth. Bab.MS.Fl.561; Bank of chalkpit side of road between Kneesworth & Royston, PD Sell,conf. CD Pigott, 6.7.1950,CGE.
Royston; WWN. Bab.MS.Fl.561; Just out of Royston on Newmarket Road, Cambs, PD Sell, 9.7.1950, conf. CD Pigott, CGE.
Shepreth L-Moor, W of railway, NP Millar, 29.5.1999, [R].
35
Caldecot; WWN. Bab.MS.Fl.561.
Caxton; WWN. Bab.MS.Fl.561.
Comberton; WWN. Bab.MS.Fl.561.
Eversden Quarry; WWN. Bab.MS.Fl.561.
Hardwick; WWN. Bab.MS.Fl.561.
Kingston; WWN. Bab.MS.Fl.561.
Old railway, Longstowe, A Craig, 6.1992, [R].
Orwell; WWN. Bab.MS.Fl.561; Side of Orwell Hill, PD Sell, 18.7.1952, CGE; Orwell Pit, 364.506, PH Oswald et al., 24.7.1995, [R].
36
Childerley; Newbould. Bab.1860,177 & Bab.MS.Fl.561.
Dry Drayton; WWN. Bab.MS.Fl.561 & Bab.MS.Fl.561.
44
Fowlmere chalk grassland, as T. neglectus Ronn., J Rishbeth, 1940.
Heydon Ditch. Bab.MS.Fl.561; Chalk pit on Anthony Hill near Heydon, (chalk down race), CD Pigott, 1950, CGE; Chalk pit beside the road near Heydon, CD Pigott, coll. 2.1950, dried 6.1950, CGE; Chalk down above chalkpit at Heydon, CD Pigott, coll. 1.1950, 6.1950, CGE; Side of chalkpit, Heydon, PD Sell, 2.7.1950, CGE; Heydon, M Burrow, 1991, [R].
Ickleton, EA George, 1940; Coploe Hill Pit, 493.426, A Craig, 18.8.1994, [R]; DA Wells et al.; 17.8.1998, [R].
Triplow. Bab.MS.Fl.561.
Whittlesford. Bab.MS.Fl.561.
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Cambridge, 5.1973, ent.ann.
Coldhams. Bab.MS.Fl.561; Coldham Common, W Howell, 1930.
Chalky mounds on Dernford Fen, CD Pigott, 1950, CGE.
Serpyllum hirsutum Hoary wild Tyme. On Gogmagog hills. It flowers in summer. Ray,1660,154(113); Serpyllum hirsutum Hairy wild Thyme. On Gogmagog-hills, and the like barren places. Ray,1670:282; Serpyllum vulgare hirsutum Hoary wild Thyme. On Gogmagog Hills, and the like barren places. Ray,1690,78; Ray,1696,122; Ray,1724,231; Serpyllum vulgare hirsutum from Gogmagoghills, n.d., Joseph Andrews Hb.2:43, (T. praecox det. G Crompton) BM; Serpyllum vulgare hirsutum On Gogmagog Hills, and the like barren Places. Ray,1724,231; Serpyllum hirsutum. Gogmagog Hills. Ray Index Loc.JM.ann; [Serpyllum hirsutum] September 5 1759. Gogmagog hills. July 23 1760. Th.M.ann.Meth.48; Thymus serpyllum.g. Gogmagog hills. Martyn,1763,Herbat.VII; Go(gmagog) H(ills) Fisher ann. Berkenhout,167; Thymus serpyllum Wild, or Mother of Thyme. b. g. Gogmagog Hills. d. Relhan,1785; b. d. e. Gogmagog Hills. Relhan,1802;1820,246; Gog Magogs, Hb. JA Power, 6.6.1835, RTE; Gogmagog Hills, CC Babington, 9.8.1852, det. T. drucei, CD Pigott 1950, CGE; T. serpyllum L. ...This plant inhabits heaths and dry barren ground...I have specimens from...Gogmagog Hills, Cambridgeshire....CC Babington. Ann. Mag. Nat.Hist. (1848) Series 2.(June 1853)11:431; T. serpyllum Quarry on Gogmagogs, JB Syme, 7.1855, BM; Gogmagog Hills. Bab.MS.Fl.561; Chalk downs Gogmagog Hills, as T. serpyllum, hirsute form, A H(osking), 9.1904, det. T. humifusus Bernh. type (? importation?) Ronniger, [Syn.of T. praecox subsp. praecox], CGE; Gogmagog Hill from Cambridge intermixed with T. britannicus, coll. as T. neglectus Ronniger, WT Stearn, 4.7.1932. Type of new county record, in Rep.BEC V11:235(1924), det. Jalas 1950, det. CD Pigott 1950, CGE; Gogmagog Hill from Cambridge , as T. britannicus Ronniger 1933, WT Stearn, 4.7.1932, in Rep.BEC V11:237(1924), det. Jalas 1950, CGE.
Chalk turf on Little Trees Hill, Gog Magog, CD Pigott, 6.1949, CGE; Gogs, Stapleford, in old grassland on edge of shelter belt, SM Walters & MG Walters, 5.9.1991, [R].
Harston; WWN. Bab.MS.Fl.561.
Haslingfield. Bab.MS.Fl.561.
Cherry Hinton Chalk Pit Close. Ray,Index Loc.JM.ann; Cherry-Hinton. In the close called by Mr Ray the Chalk-pit Close. Martyn,1763,Herbat.VIII; C(halk) P(it) C(lose) Fisher ann. Berkenhout,167; T. serpyllum Cherry Hinton, Miss Plowden,1838, det. T. praecox, G Crompton, SWN; Hinton; H! Bab.MS.Fl.561; Bare chalk abve the limeworks at Cherry Hinton, CD Pigott, coll. 5.1949, dried 6.1950, CGE; Cherry Hinton East Pit, 485.557, P Stebbings, 17.6.1991, [R]; Cherry Hinton West Pit, 482.556, P Stebbings, 19.6.1991, [R]; Cherry Hinton, PH Oswald et al., 25.7.1994, [R].
Thymus serpyllum e serpyllum citratum by the footway to Shelford. Camb. near the Nine Wells. Dreyer ann. Smith,1800:640; Thymus serpyllum g. Lemon Thyme. Near the Nine Wells, by the Foot-way to Shelford. Relhan,1802;1820,246.
Hab.at edge of road, on right-hand side & almost halfway up, ascending the Roman Road, Gog Magogs, cult. Huntingdon, coll. as T. chamaedrys var. lanuginosus, see [BEC] report p.251, EW Hunnybun, Hb. ES Marshall, 7.1909, det. Ronniger 1933, T. froelichianus var. carniolicus, det. WT Stearn T. carniolicus 12.1932, det. CD Pigott 1951,? a vigorous form of T. drucei Ronn. em. Jalas, CGE; Margins of the Via Devana on the Gog Magog Hills near Fulbourn Lodge, CD Pigott, 10.1949, specimen 8.1950, CGE; Sides of Via Devana, Gog Magog, CD Pigott, 1949, CGE.
46
Chesterton; W Walton. Bab.ann.177; Chesterton by road to Histon. Bab.MS.Fl.561.
Kings hedges, Hb. JA Power, 23.6.1835, RTE.
54
Bartlow. Bab.MS.Fl.561; Bartlow Hills, 54X, M Burrow, 1993, [R].
Hildersham. Bab.MS.Fl.561; Slopes of the old gravel pits on the Furze Hills, Hildersham, CD Pigott, 1947; Hab.at edge of road, on right-hand side & almost halfway up, ascending the Furze Hill, Hildersham (after cultivation), CD Pigott, 1948, CGE; Furze Hill, Hildersham, CD Pigott, 1948, CGE; Slopes of the old sand pits on the central Furze Hill, Hildersham, CD Pigott, coll. 6.1949, dried 6.1950, CGE; Old sandpits on the second Furze Hill, above Hildersham, coll. 2.1950, dried 6.1950, CD Pigott, CGE; Furze Hills, 55-48-, C Turner, 15.5.1993, [R].
Furze Hills, 55-48-, S Evans, 1991, [R]; Furze Hills, Middle, 55-48-, NP Millar, 22.6.2001, [R].
Linton, A & J Henslow, 7.1825, det. T. drucei, CD Pigott 1951, CGE.
55
Allington Hill. Bab.MS.Fl.561.
Chalk grassland near Babraham cross roads, CD Pigott, 1949.Chalk grassland along the edge of the Signal Hill Plantation, CD Pigott, 1949; Chalk turf by Signal Hill, Gog Magog, CD Pigott, 6.1950, CGE; Signal Hill, Babraham, 51-51-, DA Wells, SM Walters et al., 22.6.1992, [R]; G Walsh, 21.7.1992, [R].
Abundant on the slopes of the Fleam Dyke from Fulbourn to Balsham, CD Pigott, 1949; Fulbourn end of Fleam Dyke, coll. 11.1949, cult. 7.1951, CD Pigott, CGE; Fleam Dyke near Fulbourn, CD Pigott, 1949, CGE; Fleam Dyke, 543.548, TCE Wells, 4.1967, [R]; C Turner et al., 20.5.1995, [R].
Fulbourn. Bab.MS.Fl.561; Fulbourn cemetery, G Sheern, 5.11.1993, [R].
Linton; H! Bab.MS.Fl.561.
Chalk grassland, Meg's Hill, CD Pigott, 1949; Chalk grassland turf on Meg's Hill, Gog Magog Hills, CD Pigott, coll. 2.1950, specimen 6.1950 [cult.?], CGE.
Old Cambridge Road FP, West Wratting, 58-54-, NP Millar, 27.7.1997, [R].
Wilbraham. Bab.MS.Fl.561; Wilbraham Comon, 535.576, DA Wells, 2.8.1976, [R]; 534.578, DA Wells, J Heap & ME Smith, 29.5.1979, [R; 53-57-, PJO Trist & DA Wells, 28.6.1991, [R]; PH Oswald et al., 16.5.1992, [R].
56
Chalk grassland opposite Four Mile Stable Farm near Bottisham, CD Pigott, 1951.
Bottisham Park, G Crompton, 16.6.1998, [R].
Spring Close, Burwell, MJ O'Leary, 1991; Burwell, MJ O'Leary, 1992, [R].
Abundant all along the Devil's Ditch from Dullingham to Burwell, CD Pigott, 1949; Devil's Ditch, between A.11 and Reach, CtteeWalk, 6.1973; 58-64-, W bank, MJ O'Leary, 1993, [R].
Green Lane, Beacon Course, 59-62-, S Emmerich, 19.9.1996, [R]; S Hearle, P Stebbings & NP Millar, 20.5.2002, [R].
Rough grazed pasture by coprolite pit, Quy Fen, SM Walters, 6.7.1957.
Swaffham Bulbeck!; Henslow. Bab.1860,177 & Bab.MS.Fl.561.
Old railway, Swaffham Prior, 574.651, MJ O'Leary, 1993, [R].
57
Upware Pits, CEM.ann.
64
Shudy Camps. Bab.MS.Fl.561.
64C, GMS Easy, 1978.
65
Stratton, Newbould and I went to Dullingham Station. To the Devil's Ditch,...On the lower inner slope of the ditch between the railroad and Stetchworth, we found the true Thymus chamaedrys, while on the main bank there seemed to be only Thymus serpyllum. 24.8.1852. Bab.Mem.164; On the Devil's Ditch near Dullingham, WW Newbould, n.d., det. CD Pigott, BM; Abundant all along the Devil's Ditch from Dullingham to Burwell, CD Pigott, 1949.
65E, GMS Easy, 1978.
66
Newmarket On the bank of the great Ditch called Devils ditch. Ray,Index Loc; Devil's Ditch, L.J., 11.9.1822, BATHG; Bab.MS.Fl.561; T. drucei Abundant all along the Devil's Ditch from Dullingham to Burwell, CD Pigott, 1949; Devil's Ditch, north of Cambridge-Newmarket road, CD Pigott, 6.1950, CGE; Abundant on the Devil's Ditch near the stands on Newmarket Heath, CD Pigott, 6.1950, CGE; Bared chalk in the large gap in the Devil's Ditch by the Newmarket race course, CD Pigott, 7.1950, CGE; 'T. serpyllum' Above disused golf green [?Tee] 200 paces E of pines, 200 paces E of main road, Devil's Ditch, RW David, 10 5.1952, 'not accepted without specimen'; Devil's Ditch, Woodditton, 623.612, TCE Wells, 6.1966, [R]; Devil's Ditch, between A.11 and Reach, Ctte Walk, 1973; T. serpyllum Top of Devil's Ditch just west of railway, Mrs Westcott, 1978, det. K; specimens collected from here and c. 100 paces from golf tee, (plants v. small with very thin stems, examined under binocular microscope were all T. drucei), G Crompton & Cttee Walk, 26.7.1978; 'T. serpyllum' Plants by path just east of Cambridge Gap, Devil's Ditch, G Crompton with P Chapman JC Faulkner and WH Palmer, CP, 23 7.1976, det. 'T. serpyllum s.s.', CD Pigott; CP and Pop. map: population extends for 60 metres both sides of Cambridge Gap and down bank on west side, 615.6161 plant collected for CUBG, G Crompton, 29.7.1976, CGE; collected 1 plant from W of Cambridge Gap for CUBG, RW Mellors & G Crompton, 5.11.1976; det. T. drucei in cult. CUBG, CD Pigott, 1977.
Devil's Ditch, Burwell/Swaffham Prior, 60-62-, DA Wells & B Smith, 25.6.1993, [R]; Newmarket. Bab.MS.Fl.561 & Bab.MS.Fl.561; Links House between road and railway, 63-61-, AO Chater & FH Perring, 7.1955.
Round Course, 60-61-, DA Wells, 22.7.1999, [R].
Warren Hill, Reservoir, 662.635, S Lambert & J Green, 4.3.1987, [R].
Water Hall, D Soden & W Smyth, 7.1988, [R].
Snailwell Heath. Bab.1860,177 & Bab.MS.Fl.561; West ann.
67
Old railway, Isleham, 63-72-, S Ryle, 23.8.1993, [R].
40
T. serpyllum...From the old Roman Bank by the roadside leading to Elm. 1897. [sic, = error for 1797] It grows on the Banks between Wish. and Elm. Skrim.MS.
