Short Description
The basil-thyme can grow up to 40 cm high.
The leaves are opposite each other on the stem. They are ovate to elongated and can be weakly toothed at the leaf margin.
The stem is prostrate to ascending, square and hairy.
The flowers are light purple with fused petals that form an upper and lower lip.
The fruits are small, single-seeded nutlets. There are always four of them in the calyx of the flower.
Features
Basil-thyme
Clinopodium acinos
Peppermint smell
light purple, zygomorphic flowers
In the city
In the city, the basil-thyme can be found in stony, nutrient-poor grasslands, in gravel pits and pavement joints. It prefers dry, warm and shady sites with stony, nutrient-poor soils. Its occurrence in the city is declining because the preferred habitats are becoming fewer and fewer, e.g. due to nutrient enrichment of the soil.
Fun Facts
The flowering period is June to September.
The species suffix "arvensis" means "growing in fields". As it prefers nutrient-poor soils, it is unlikely to be found on a field.
- None
It tastes aromatic and was probably used as a seasoning herb in the past.
Sources
Blüten, Algirdas, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Acinos_arvensis_206-06-26.jpg
Habitus, Franz Xaver, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Clinopodium_acinos_6.jpg
Habitus, Bernd Gliwa, CC BY-SA 2.5, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Acinos_arvensis_2.jpg
Eggenberg, S. & Möhl, A. (2007) Flora Vegetativa: Ein Bestimmungsbuch für Pflanzen der Schweiz im blütenlosen Zustand, Bern, Stuttgart, Wien: Haupt Verlag.
Jäger, E. J. (2011) Rothmaler - Exkursionsflora von Deutschland. Gefäßpflanzen: Grundband, Heidelberg: Spektrum Akademischer Verlag.
Kammer, P. M. (2016) Pflanzen einfach bestimmen. Schritt für Schritt einheimische Arten kennenlernen, Bern: Haupt Verlag.
Schauer, T., Caspari, C. & Caspari, S. (2015) Der illustrierte BLV-Pflanzenführer für unterwegs. 1150 Blumen, Gräser, Bäume und Sträucher, München: BLV.
Page „Feld-Steinquendel“. : Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Date of last revision: 18.12.2016, 12:23 UTC. URL: https://de.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Feld-Steinquendel&oldid=160767705 (Accessed: 15.08.2017).
Bundesamt für Naturschutz (n.d.) Artensteckbriefe, URL: http://floraweb.de/pflanzenarten/artenhome.xsql?suchnr=49& (Accessed: 15.08.2017).