Althaea officinalis
The whole plant is softly stellate-hairy, especially the leaves, which are broadly triangular to oval, often with 3-5 shallow lobes, irregularly toothed, with cordate to cuneate bases.[8][9] The flowers are in bloom during August and September, and are followed, as in other species of this order, by the flat, round fruit which are popularly called "cheeses".Chemical constituents include altheahexacosanyl lactone (n-hexacos-2-enyl-1,5-olide), 2β-hydroxycalamene (altheacalamene) and altheacoumarin glucoside (5,6-dihydroxycoumarin-5-dodecanoate-6β-D-glucopyranoside), along with the known phytoconstituents lauric acid, β-sitosterol and lanosterol.[citation needed] When boiled first and fried with onions and butter, the roots are said to form a palatable dish,[16] and in times of scarcity consequent upon the failure of the crops, this plant, which grows in Syria in great abundance, is collected heavily as a foodstuff.Pâte de guimauve more closely resembles contemporary commercially available marshmallows, which no longer contain Althaea officinalis.
Scientific classificationPlantaeTracheophytesAngiospermsEudicotsRosidsMalvalesMalvaceaeAlthaeaBinomial nameSynonymsherbalismornamental plantancient Egyptianmarshmallowherbaceousperennialinflorescencesstamensschizocarpcommon mallowGreat Britainlauric acidβ-sitosterollanosteroltraditional herbal medicinespecific epithetofficinalismucous membranesgargleulcersgastric ulcersProspero AlpiniEgyptiansonionsbutteregg whitemeringuerose watermarshmallowsTropicosMissouri Botanical GardenGermplasm Resources Information NetworkAgricultural Research ServiceUnited States Department of AgricultureLiddell, Henry GeorgeScott, RobertA Greek–English LexiconPerseus ProjectOnline Etymology DictionarySterlingPlants for a FutureWayback MachineAlfalfaAloe veraBorututuAsthma-plantAstragalusCannabismedical useCarawayCardamomChamomileChaparralFenugreekFeverfewFlaxseedGingerGinkgoGinsengGoldensealLemon balmLiquoriceMarigoldOpium poppyOreganoPeppermintPurple coneflowerRosemaryStar aniseSummer savoryTea tree oilTurmericUmckaloaboValerianVerbenaWhite willowYarrowZa'atarAlmond mushroomChaga mushroomEchigoshirayukidakeLingzhi mushroomMaitakeMeshimaMorel mushroomShiitakeChinese herbologyIndian herbologyIslamic herbologyJapanese herbologyAlternative medicineDoctrine of signaturesHerb gardenHerbalHerbal teaHomeopathyMedicinal plantsList of plants used in herbalismWikidataWikispeciesEcocropiNaturalistMoBotPFNatureServeObservation.orgOpen Tree of LifePlant List