Stems prostrate; fertile branchlets divaricate, 5-11 cm, with short, spreading or slightly recurved hairs, dark purple; large branches with up to 4 fertile branchlets on basal half. Petiole of stem leaves shorter to subequal to blades; leaf blade ± oblong-elliptic, rarely elliptic to ovate, margin entire, lower 1/3 or more ciliolate, densely short hairy, sparsely glandular; blade of stem leaves ovate toward stem base, 0.7-1.4 cm × 1.5-6 mm. Inflorescences capitate, rather lax, of 1-3 widely spaced verticillasters. Pedicel 2-3 mm, pubescent. Calyx tubular-campanulate, 4.5-5 mm, dark purple, pubescent; upper lip glabrous, teeth lanceolate, ciliate. Corolla rose-purple, ca. 7 mm, tube slender. Fl. Jul-Aug.

Perhaps only a minor variant of Thymus amurensis.

Gravelly slopes. Heilongjiang [Russia].