Thanks to Andrew Dawson for spotting this beauty which is on the Rare Plant register for Wiltshire. So I won’t be saying where it is! Superficially similar to the early purple Orchid, its leaves lack spots and the sepals which form the flower’s hood have pale green lines. The flower colour can vary.
Orchid roots have long had a reputation as an aphrodisiac. The word orchid comes from the Ancient Greek for testicle and the Romans made drinks called ‘Satyrion‘ and ‘Priapiscus‘ from the roots. Our ancestors often believed the shape of a plant dictated how it could benefit humans. Paracelsus, the ‘Father of Toxicology’ wrote:
“behold the Satyrion root, is it not formed like the male privy parts? No one can deny this. Accordingly, magic discovered it and revealed that it can restore a man’s virility and passion”
Now you know why I won’t tell you where it is!
Green-winged orchids are a major source of Salep, a nutritious starchy substance made from drying and grinding the roots. One ounce of salep is said to be enough to sustain a person for a day. A salep beverage, named Saloon made its way to England in the 17th century. Saloon stalls predated our tea and coffee shops, offering a warm nutritious drink. This link tells the fascinating story of the appearance of this initially fashionable drink, which disappeared when its medicinal reputation as a treatment for venereal disease and inebriation made it socially unacceptable.
Saloop, the drink that ruled London's streets before coffee and tea
Salep based beverages remain popular in the Middle East, especially in Turkey with harvesting threatening the survival of wild orchids.
Our green winged orchids face a different threat. Orchid seeds are tiny, relying on Mycorrhizal fungi to provide the energy they need to germinate. This life support is vulnerable with modern herbicide and fertiliser use. It is no surprise they are quietly disappearing. What a sadness that would be.