Marshamallow Althaea officinalis and uses.

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Botanical Description:Marsh mallow,Althaea officinalis.

Marshmallow Root Extract INCI Name Althaea Officinalis Extract CAS 73049-65-7 EINECS ELINCS No 277-254-6 Mucilage,exopolysaccharid,althea Mortification Root Sweetweed mallards guimauve schloss tea wymote Malve Guimauve Malvavisce photo picture image Marsh mallow is native to Europe; it was brought to America as a medicinal plant. The grayish, velvety leaves are a good way to distinguish this from other mallows.Marsh Mallow is a native of most countries of Europe, from Denmark southward. It is cultivated in the USA. It grows in salt marshes, in damp meadows, by the sides of ditches, by the sea and on the banks of tidal rivers. Tough-rooted herbaceous perennial, 4 ft. Velvety stems and leaves; white or pink flowers in leaf axils in late summer. Found in damp, often saline places.

 Found in southern and western Europe, western Asia, and the northeastern region of North America, marshmallow originally grew in salty soils but now thrives in moist, uncultivated ground. Its fleshy, erect stems reach a height of three to four feet. The stems give off simple branches or, at most, a few sideways branches. The pale yellow roots are tapered, long, and thick, with a tough yet flexible exterior. The short-stemmed leaves are round, with irregularly toothed margins and three to five lobes. A soft and velvety down covers the leaves and stem. The flowers have five reddish-white petals. The whole plant, especially the root, is filled with mild mucilage.

 Althaea is an erect perennial herb, reaching a height of up to 150cm, with stalked, three- to five-lobed pale green velvety leaves densely clothed with stellate grey hairs,three or four feet (0.9 to 1.2 m) high with hairy white stalks, spreading branches, soft and hairy leaves and palish-pink flowers.In the first year it grows a non-flowering stem. The pale pink to white flowers appear from June to September in the second year. Red united stamens grow on short stalks in the upper axils. The sepals are ovate, curving over the hairy fruit. The petals are 15-20mm long, sometimes shallowly notched, with purplish anthers. Althaea's original habitat was in salty marshes or wet, brackish uncultivated ground in southern Europe, but it is now established throughout southern Britain and Europe, Australia and eastern North America. It is cultivated in Belgium, France and Germany.

 Marshmallow is a perennial plant growing to a height of nearly 4 feet in some cases. Marshmallow is both cultivated as well as found growing wild in damp and wet places everywhere. The rootstock is white and sweetish like a parsnip, but with considerable mucilage to it. The plant sends up several unbranched, wooly stems with serrate, pubescent leaves. The axillary flowers are about 2 inches in width and can be either light red to white or royal purple in color.

 Marshmallow Root (Althaea officinalis) This is the herb, not the white puffy confection roasted over a campfire. It has been used for centuries as both a food and a medicine. Its botanical name comes from the Greek word "altho," which means "to cure." The Romans, Chinese, Egyptians, and Syrians used marshmallow as a source of food, while the Arabs made poultices from its leaves and applied this to the skin to reduce inflammation. The mucilage, or gummy secretion, in the leaves and particularly the root is helpful for soothing sore throats, chapped skin, and minor wounds. Based on its long history of use in traditional healing systems, herbalists use it for asthma, bronchitis, common cold with sore throat, cough, inflammatory bowel diseases, stomach ulcers, weight loss and wound healing. It is a very soothing demulcent, perfect for gastro-esophageal reflux characterized by a night cough.

 Habitat and Cultivation:Native to Europe, marshmallow is naturalized in the Americas. Marshmallow prefers marshy fields and tidal zones, and is cultivated for medicinal use. The aerial parts are gathered in summer as the plant begins to flower, and the root is unearthed in autumn.

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citations1.Marshamallow Althaea officinalis and uses.

last edit date:31th,May.2009.