Althaea (genus) 901411 220853564 2008-06-21T22:49:31Z DOI bot 6652755 Citation maintenance. You can [[WP:DOI|use this bot]] yourself! Please [[User:DOI_bot/bugs|report any bugs]]. {{Taxobox | 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.<ref name="C&EN">{{cite journal |url=http://pubs.acs.org/cen/whatstuff/84/8416marshmallows.html |journal=Chemical & Engineering News | title=What's that stuff? Marshmallow |last=Petkewich |first=Rachel |volume=84 |issue=16 |year=2006 |accessdate=2008-02-10 |pages=41}}</ref> 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 actually no longer contain any actual marshmallow. The root's emulsifying property is used for cleaning Persian carpets in the Middle East. It is regarded as the best method to preserve the vibrancy of vegetable dyes used in coloring the carpet's wool. == References== *''Medicinal Plants of the World: Chemical Constituents, Traditional and Modern Medicinal Uses'' by Ivan A. Ross. <references/> ==Gallery== <gallery> Image:Althaea officinalis habitus.jpeg|''A. officinalis'' Image:Althaea officinalis0.jpg|''A. officinalis'' </gallery> ==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]] [[de:Eibisch (Gattung)]] [[es:Althaea]] [[eo:Alteo]] [[fr:Althaea (genre)]] [[hsb:Popla]] [[la:Althaea (genus)]] [[lt:Svilarožė]] [[nl:Heemst (geslacht)]] [[pl:Prawoślaz]] [[pt:Althaea]] [[ru:Алтей]] [[sq:Althaea]] [[sv:Läkemalvor]]