Thymus japonicus (H. Hara) Kitag.

Doubtfully distinct from Thymus amurensis.

Perhaps a variant of Thymus amurensis.

Stems slender, arcuately curved; vegetative shoots arising from stem base or rhizome, slender, to 40 cm, ascending to prostrate, finely retrorse pilose; short branchlets sometimes with small axillary tufts of leaves, sometimes elongated, fertile. Leaves oblong to ovate, 3-12 × 1-4 mm, glabrous, glandular, base attenuate, asymmetrical, margin 1-3-serrulate, lower 1/4-1/3 ciliate, apex acute to obtuse. Inflorescences capitate, loose, sometimes with undeveloped basal verticillasters; bracteoles subulate, to 4 mm, long ciliate. Pedicel 1-4 mm, densely pubescent. Calyx tubular-campanulate, 4-5 mm, base spreading pilose, apex glabrous or subglabrous; teeth of upper lip lanceolate to triangular, acute, ciliolate. Corolla purplish, to 8 mm, pubescent, glandular. Stamens exserted or posterior 2 included. Fl. Jul-Aug.

Stems slender, tufted, ascending; vegetative shoots to 30 cm, slender, spreading, rarely trailing, retrorse pilose; fertile branches few, slender, more than 5 mm, ascending to erect, retrorse pilose on inflorescences, base finely pilose. Leaves short petiolate; petiole sparsely ciliate on basal 1/3; leaf blade of lower stem leaves broadly elliptic to ovate, 0.5-1.6 cm × 1.5-5 mm, glabrous, base cuneate to attenuate, margin entire or 1- or 2-serrulate, sparsely ciliate, apex obtuse to acute. Inflorescences capitate, sometimes with widely spaced undeveloped verticillasters. Calyx tubular-campanulate, 4-5 mm, mostly pilose, conspicuously veined; teeth of upper lip lanceolate, ciliate, apex acuminate. Corolla 6-8 mm, pubescent, exserted. Fl. Jul.

Heilongjiang, Nei Mongol [Russia]

Dry hills, grasslands, gravelly sunny slopes; 300-800 m.

Steppes, hills. Heilongjiang [Russia]