Spanish thyme (diten)
Lippia micromera · Verbenaceae
A crossing plant — kept in both Haitian & Caribbean and Adriatic & Balkan traditions. Two shores, one root.
Spanish thyme
diten
Petit thym
Lippia micromera
ti tentenditen
Verbenaceae
Traditionally used
Ti ten — the small-leaved Caribbean thyme, the island's own thyme (not to be confused with lemon-scented melis, Lippia alba). Its pungent leaf is both kitchen seasoning and remedy: a warm infusion eases a cough, colic, and a sluggish stomach. Everyday and gentle.
In three languages
Kreyòl — Diten se ti ten karayibeyen an, fèy piti, pwòp ten peyi a (pa konfonn ak melis sitwon lan, Lippia alba). Fèy santi bon li a se kondiman kizin men remèd tou: yon enfizyon cho soulaje doulè lestomak, grip, ak sa tradisyon an rele 'nè'.
Français — Ti ten — le petit thym caribéen à feuilles menues, le thym de l'île (à ne pas confondre avec la mélisse-melis, Lippia alba). Sa feuille odorante est à la fois assaisonnement et remède : une infusion tiède calme toux, coliques et estomac paresseux. Quotidien et doux.
The crossing
The Haitian "small thyme" of the hills — carvacrol-scented, thyme-adjacent, but botanically its own thing.
Safety
Safety notes for this plant are still being written. Until they are, treat it with a cautious hand.
Plants can look similar and be misidentified — always verify with a local herbalist or guide before use.
Sources & lineage
TRAMIL Caribbean pharmacopoeia; Haitian ethnobotany
Kept alongside