Family: mint family (Lamiaceae)
Flowering time: May–September
Size: 5–25 cm
Habitat: dry meadows, forest edges and scree
Polajeva mother thyme (Thymus pulegioides) is a small, shrub-like plant. The stem is leafy with small oval, opposite arranged leaves. During flowering it does not have developed non-flowering side shoots. Its stem is sharply four-angled beneath the inflorescence. Short, downward-directed hairs usually cover only the edges of the stem. About 5 mm long pink flowers, from which the stamens and the pistil's style protrude, form inflorescences at the tops of the shoots. Dense inflorescences can be short (capitate) or elongated.
It grows on dry barren soils in sunny places. It is widespread throughout Slovenia.
Because of the essential oils it produces, its leaves are used as a seasoning. It also contains substances with antiseptic effects, therefore it is useful for alleviating problems with respiration, digestion and for wound healing.
