- ORCHIS MASCULA
- Mythologie: 'The early purple orchid has two root-tubers; one full and large, and one slack and small. According to the Greek physician Dioscorides, if a man was to eat the orchid’s full tuber, a boy would be born, whereas if a woman ate the smaller one, it would be a girl.
The plant was once known in the Scottish Highlands as ‘Gràdh is Fuadh’, meaning ‘love and hate’. This was because it was believed that eating the larger root of the orchid would make someone fall in love with you, but eating the smaller one would make them hate you.
Some believe that the purple spots on the leaves of the early purple orchid have religious connotations, and are actually the drops of Christ’s blood from his crucifixion.'
