ROYAL SALEP. 



157 



Roxburgh, Royle, or O'Shaughnessy. Honigberger, in speak- iesa. 

 ing of the sorts of Salep used at Lahore mentions one re- 

 sembling a dried fig, which I suppose may be the drug under 

 notice, but he gives no account of it. Dr. Lindley's examination Dr. Lindley's 

 of the bulb leads him to the opinion that it is possibly that of view 

 some species of Tulip, of which there are four known to occur 

 in Affghanistan. Tulipa Oculus-solis (St. Amans), and some 

 other species, when grown in favourable localities, certainly pro- 

 duce very large bulbs, which have moreover but few scales ; but 

 I am ignorant of any having a scale of such enormous thickness 



FIG. 4. 



Fio. 3. 



Royal Salep FIG. 3, the bulb, FIG. 1, after maceration in water. FIG. 4, longitudinal section 

 of a bulb after maceration. 



as that seen in the drug under notice. It is obvious, however, 

 that the question of botanical origin cannot be determined from 

 our limited materials. 



Upon the uses of Badshah Saleb, I can say very little : from 

 the bulb being mucilaginous and saccharine, I presume it may 

 answer some of the purposes for which orchideous tubers are 

 valued. At the same time it has a bitterish and slightly acrid 

 taste that quite unfits it as a substitute for Salep in this country. 

 The decoction of Badshah Saleb is far less mucilaginous than 

 that of true Salep : it is not rendered blue by the addition of a 

 solution of iodine. [N. Eepert. f. PJiarm. vii. 271.] 



Uses of 



Badshah 



Saleb. 



