Salab Gatta Powder - Orchis Mascula - Salep Orchid Root

Salab Gatta/Salabmisri :

Salab Gatta (lax-flowered orchid, loose-flowered orchid, or green-winged meadow orchid) is a species of orchid. Wide distribution range in Europe and Asia as far north as in Gotland (Sweden). Tall plant, grows up to 60 cm high. Found in wet meadows with alkaline soil. Common in Normandy and Brittany (France), in United Kingdom represented only on Channel Islands, where it is called Jersey Orchid. Notable habitat is Le Noir Pre meadow in Jersey and several fields at Les Vicheries in Guernsey, where each year in late May – early June can be observed mass bloom of these orchids.

There are three habitats on Lesvos where always get wet feet during ‘hunting’ the Loose or Lax-flowered Orchid; the first one is the marsh above Lafionas next to the basilica of the first bishop of Lesvos: Agios Alexandros. The second one is on the banks of the small stream (called the Kyprianou) leading from the ‘Klapados’ waterfall to Dafia, and the third one are the marshes on the Gulf of Gera near Pigadakia or Dipi. As a matter of fact there is a fourth one: in the reeds on the Larisos corner at the junction of the road to Plomari with that from Kalloni to Mytilini, but you have to be early there.

Salabmisri could be more habitats on Lesvos: KARATZÁ (Lesvos 2008) describes 5 more spots (Sígri, Gavathas, Pedí, the Katsinia bay down from Avlóna but I think I’ve never been in all those places at the right time. Molivos (well, I’m there at the right time but maybe this habitat is gone, like so many others in Greece in the last few years, and no, not only because of sheep & goats but tourists this time, although we don’t have so many of this last specimen on Lesvos).

Salab Gatta Benefits:

Used in the treatment of cancer. Salep is very nutritive, astringent, expectorant and demulcent. Salabmisri has been used as a diet of special value for children and convalescents, being boiled with water, flavored and prepared in the same way as arrowroot. Rich in mucilage, it forms a soothing and demulcent jelly that is used in the treatment of irritations of the gastro-intestinal canal. One part of salep to fifty parts of water is sufficient to make a jelly. The tuber, from which salep is prepared, should be harvested as the plant dies down after flowering and setting seed.