Tou vou nou

[TLM]

Some years ago got a mug of Greek mountain "tea", made from Sideritis sp. got slightly hooked. It has a difficult to describe taste and according to Cretans heals almost everything. So far have not noticed that but I like to drink it when getting overloaded with caffeine from green tea. Not bad on other occasions too.

 

[oldtimer]

Is this dictamus? I remember drinking this in Crete many years ago. The local priest recommended it for stomach upsets. I recall it helped with hangovers!

 

[Broch]

Really, Dictamnus albus (Dittany) is now considered too toxic to use - or are you referring to something else?

 

[TLM]

No the plant most often used is Sideritis scardica (Ironwort) close species are also used. As a drink apparently known in most of the Balcans. On Crete they use Sideritis syriaca.

 

[oldtimer]

It was over 50 years ago and the priest spoke no English but dictamus is what it sounded like. Lost in translation I guess. It's a good example of why the work of Linnaeus was important.

 

[TLM]

WP gives dittany of Crete as Origanum dictamnus, apparently still used and not very poisonous..

 

[Broch]

Yes, worryingly, Origanum dictamus is also known as Dittany - luckily it doesn't look anything like Dictamnus albus

I'm not sure that Linnaeus got it all quite right (or more probably those that followed)