Althaea (plant)
Marshmallow ( Althaea officinalis)
The plant genus Marshmallow ( Althaea ) belongs to the mallow family ( Malvaceae ). The range extends from Europe to the south-western and central Asia.
Description
Althaea species are annual or perennial herbaceous plants that grow up straight. Most parts of the plants have more or less rich in star hair. The change-constant leaves are simple or three-to five-lobed to pieces. There are Stipules present.
The flowers appear singly or in clusters in the leaf axils, sometimes in terminal, racemose inflorescences. The outer cup is neunlappig. The hermaphroditic, flowers are radial symmetry fünfzählig. Five sepals are fused cup-shaped. The five - lavender to pink, verkehrteiförmigen petals are fused only at most 2 cm of their length funnel- shaped, and the ends are slightly notched. In the subfamily Malvoideae the many stamens are fused into a tube surrounding the stamp, the so-called Columna, it is cylindrical and hairy at the Althaea species. The brownish purple anthers stand in groups at their peak. The ovary consists of eight to 25 chambers, each with only one upright ovule.
There shall be gap fruits that seeded in eight to 25, part wingless fruit crumble.
System
The first publication of Althaea was in 1753 by Linnaeus in Species Plantarum 2, 686
There are about twelve Althaea species ( selection):
- Althaea armeniaca Ten.
- Althaea broussonetiifolia Ilyin
- Hanfblättriger Marshmallow ( Althaea cannabina L.)
- Rough Marshmallow ( Althaea hirsuta L.)
- Althaea L. ludwigii
- Marshmallow ( Althaea officinalis L.)
- Althaea villosa leaf.
- Althaea villosoides sheet.
The name Althaea comes to the ancient Greek name of the plant, Althaea back and derives from althéeis = curative or álthein = heal.