Plants in Israel: Conehead thyme

Coridothymus capitatus, Thymbra capitat, Satureja capitata, Conehead thyme, Persian-hyssop, Spanish oregano, Israeli Thyme,

Hebrew: קורנית מקורקפת, Arabic: زعتر برّي

Scientific name:   Coridothymus capitatus (L.) Rchb.
Synonym name:   Thymbra capitata (L.) Cav., Satureja capitata L.
Common name:   Conehead thyme, Persian-hyssop, Spanish oregano, Israeli Thyme
Hebrew name:   קורנית מקורקפת
Arabic name:   زعتر برّي
Plant Family:   Labiatae / Lamiaceae, שפתניים


Life form:   Chamaephyte, semi-shrub
Stems:   20-50 cm tall; woody, densely branched with erect or ascending stems
Leaves:   Opposite, entire
Flowers:   Pink, purple
Fruits / pods:   Fruit composed of four nutlets
Flowering Period:   May, June, July, August, September, October
Habitat:   Batha, Phrygana
Distribution:   Mediterranean Woodlands and Shrublands, Semi-steppe shrublands, Montane vegetation of Mt. Hermon
Chorotype:   Mediterrabean
Summer shedding:   Perennating


Derivation of the botanical name:

Coridothymus, Greek, koris, koridos “a species of Hypericum, a bug”; and thyme

capitatus, caput, head; with a head.
Thymbra, an ancient Latin name, thymbra, thymbrae, in Pliny for a savoury, thymelike plant; the herb savory.
Satureja, satureia ;there is a common origin with Hebrew zaʾatar [זעתר], Arabic az-za’tar [الزعتر], and Turkish sater.

  • The standard author abbreviation L. is used to indicate Carl Linnaeus (1707 – 1778), a Swedish botanist, physician, and zoologist, the father of modern taxonomy.
  • The standard author abbreviation Rchb. is used to indicate Heinrich Gottlieb Ludwig Reichenbach (1793 – 1879), a German botanist and ornithologist.
  • The standard author abbreviation Cav. is used to indicate Antonio José Cavanilles (1745 – 1804), a Spanish taxonomic botanist.

See the list of Medicinal herbs in Israel, the parts used and their medical uses to treat various diseases.