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{{Taxobox
| color = lightgreen
| name = ''Althaea''
| image = Koeh-008.jpg
| image_width = 250px
| image_caption = Marshmallow (''[[Althaea officinalis]]'')
| regnum = [[Plant]]ae
| divisio = [[Flowering plant|Magnoliophyta]]
| classis = [[Magnoliopsida]]
| ordo = [[Malvales]]
| familia = [[Malvaceae]]
| genus = '''''Althaea'''''
| genus_authority = [[Carolus Linnaeus|L.]]
| subdivision_ranks = Species
| subdivision =
''Althaea armeniaca'' <br />
''Althaea broussonetiifolia'' *<br />
''Althaea cannabina'' - Hemp-leaved Marshmallow<br />
''Althaea hirsuta'' - Hairy Marshmallow<br />
''Althaea longifolia'' <br />
''Althaea ludwigii'' <br />
''Althaea narbonensis'' *<br />
''[[Althaea officinalis]]'' - Marshmallow<br />
<nowiki>*</nowiki> Not accepted as distinct by all authors
}}
'''''Althaea''''' is a genus of 6-12 species of [[perennial plant|perennial]] herbs, including the [[Althaea officinalis|marshmallow]] plant whence [[marshmallow|the confection]] got its name, native to [[Europe]] and western [[Asia]]. They are found on the banks of rivers and in salt marshes, preferring moist, sandy [[soil]]s. The stems grow to 1-2 m tall, and [[flower]] in mid summer. The [[Leaf|leaves]] are palmately lobed with 3-7 lobes. ''Althaea'' species are used as food plants by the [[larva]]e of some [[Lepidoptera]] species including ''[[Bucculatricidae|Bucculatrix quadrigemina]]''.
The genus formerly included a number of additional species now treated in the genus ''[[Hollyhock|Alcea]]'' (Hollyhocks).
The root contains [[starch]] (37%), [[mucilage]] (11%), [[pectin]] (11%), [[flavonoid]]s, phenolic acids, [[sucrose]], and [[asparagine]].
==Uses==
In herbalism mallow is used as a gargle to treat mouth and throat [[ulcer]]s. It is also useful for gastric ulcers.
The flowers and young leaves can be eaten. They are often added to salads or boiled and fried. They are also used in [[cosmetic]]s for the skin.
The root has been used since Egyptian antiquity in a honey-sweetened confection useful in the treatment of sore throat. The later French version of the recipe, called [[pâte de guimauve]], included an eggwhite [[meringue]] and was often flavored with rose water. Pâte de guimauve more closely resembles contemporary commercially available marshmallows, which ironically no longer contain any actual marshmallow.
== References==
*Medicinal Plants of the World: Chemical Constituents, Traditional and Modern Medicinal Uses By Ivan A. Ross
==External links==
{{Commons|Althaea officinalis}}
*[http://rbg-web2.rbge.org.uk/cgi-bin/nph-readbtree.pl/feout?FAMILY_XREF=&GENUS_XREF=Althaea&SPECIES_XREF=&TAXON_NAME_XREF=&RANK= Flora Europaea: ''Althaea'']
*[http://www.healthy.net/library/books/hoffman/materiamedica/marshmal.htm Health World: Marshmallow (Althaea officinalis)]
*[http://www.henriettesherbal.com/eclectic/kings/althaea.html King's American Dispensatory: Althaea officinalis (Marshmallow)]
*[http://www.botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/m/mallow07.html#mar "A Modern Herbal": Mallow, Marsh (Althaea officinalis)]
*[http://altmedicine.about.com/od/healthconditionsdisease/a/sore_throat.htm The Marshmallow Plants medicinal values.]
*http://altmedicine.about.com/od/herbsupplementguide/a/Althaea.htm
[[Category:Malvaceae]]
[[Category:Flora of Asia]]
[[Category:Flora of Europe]]
[[Category:Medicinal plants]]
| color = lightgreen
| name = ''Althaea''
| image = Koeh-008.jpg
| image_width = 250px
| image_caption = Marshmallow (''[[Althaea officinalis]]'')
| regnum = [[Plant]]ae
| divisio = [[Flowering plant|Magnoliophyta]]
| classis = [[Magnoliopsida]]
| ordo = [[Malvales]]
| familia = [[Malvaceae]]
| genus = '''''Althaea'''''
| genus_authority = [[Carolus Linnaeus|L.]]
| subdivision_ranks = Species
| subdivision =
''Althaea armeniaca'' <br />
''Althaea broussonetiifolia'' *<br />
''Althaea cannabina'' - Hemp-leaved Marshmallow<br />
''Althaea hirsuta'' - Hairy Marshmallow<br />
''Althaea longifolia'' <br />
''Althaea ludwigii'' <br />
''Althaea narbonensis'' *<br />
''[[Althaea officinalis]]'' - Marshmallow<br />
<nowiki>*</nowiki> Not accepted as distinct by all authors
}}
'''''Althaea''''' is a genus of 6-12 species of [[perennial plant|perennial]] herbs, including the [[Althaea officinalis|marshmallow]] plant whence [[marshmallow|the confection]] got its name, native to [[Europe]] and western [[Asia]]. They are found on the banks of rivers and in salt marshes, preferring moist, sandy [[soil]]s. The stems grow to 1-2 m tall, and [[flower]] in mid summer. The [[Leaf|leaves]] are palmately lobed with 3-7 lobes. ''Althaea'' species are used as food plants by the [[larva]]e of some [[Lepidoptera]] species including ''[[Bucculatricidae|Bucculatrix quadrigemina]]''.
The genus formerly included a number of additional species now treated in the genus ''[[Hollyhock|Alcea]]'' (Hollyhocks).
The root contains [[starch]] (37%), [[mucilage]] (11%), [[pectin]] (11%), [[flavonoid]]s, phenolic acids, [[sucrose]], and [[asparagine]].
==Uses==
In herbalism mallow is used as a gargle to treat mouth and throat [[ulcer]]s. It is also useful for gastric ulcers.
The flowers and young leaves can be eaten. They are often added to salads or boiled and fried. They are also used in [[cosmetic]]s for the skin.
The root has been used since Egyptian antiquity in a honey-sweetened confection useful in the treatment of sore throat. The later French version of the recipe, called [[pâte de guimauve]], included an eggwhite [[meringue]] and was often flavored with rose water. Pâte de guimauve more closely resembles contemporary commercially available marshmallows, which ironically no longer contain any actual marshmallow.
== References==
*Medicinal Plants of the World: Chemical Constituents, Traditional and Modern Medicinal Uses By Ivan A. Ross
==External links==
{{Commons|Althaea officinalis}}
*[http://rbg-web2.rbge.org.uk/cgi-bin/nph-readbtree.pl/feout?FAMILY_XREF=&GENUS_XREF=Althaea&SPECIES_XREF=&TAXON_NAME_XREF=&RANK= Flora Europaea: ''Althaea'']
*[http://www.healthy.net/library/books/hoffman/materiamedica/marshmal.htm Health World: Marshmallow (Althaea officinalis)]
*[http://www.henriettesherbal.com/eclectic/kings/althaea.html King's American Dispensatory: Althaea officinalis (Marshmallow)]
*[http://www.botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/m/mallow07.html#mar "A Modern Herbal": Mallow, Marsh (Althaea officinalis)]
*[http://altmedicine.about.com/od/healthconditionsdisease/a/sore_throat.htm The Marshmallow Plants medicinal values.]
*http://altmedicine.about.com/od/herbsupplementguide/a/Althaea.htm
[[Category:Malvaceae]]
[[Category:Flora of Asia]]
[[Category:Flora of Europe]]
[[Category:Medicinal plants]]
