Thymus striatus, Vahl

35. T. striatus Vahl , Symb. Bot. 3: 78 (1794)

( T. acicularis Waldst. & Kit. , T. comptus auct., non Friv.; inch T. pseudoatticus Ronniger ).

Like 33 but usually less robust; stems sometimes hairy only on 2 opposite sides; bracts usually narrower and purplish, sometimes similar to leaves, glabrous or pubescent to villous; calyx 3-5 mm, purplish, the upper teeth lanceolate; corolla whitish, pink or purple. 2« = 26, 54. Balkan peninsula; C. & S. Italy, Sicilia. Al Bu Gr It Ju Si?Tu.

Variable in hairiness, leaf- and calyx-size, and development of bracts. Variants with leaves 1 - 5 mm or more wide tend to occupy a more southern part of the range than those with narrow (c. 1 mm wide) leaves. The two chromosome numbers refer to morphologically extreme variants and further information is needed about the pattern of cytological and morphological variation to decide if subspecies can be recognized.