Алтей лекарственный: описание и применение

Species of plant
Speciesbox
|image = Althaea officinalis Köhler–s Medizinal Pflanzen 008. jpg
|genus = Althaea
|species = officinalis
|authority = L.
|synonyms =
Althaea kragujevacensis
Althaea micrantha
Althaea sublobata
Althaea taurinensis
Althaea vulgaris
Malva althaea
Malva maritima
Malva officinalis
|synonyms ref = or marshmallow, is a species of flowering plant indigenous to Europe, Western Asia and North Africa, which is used in herbalism and as an ornamental plant. A confection made from the root since ancient Egyptian times evolved into today's marshmallow treat,

This herbaceous perennial (i. e. with stems which die down in the autumn) grows to 6 feet (2 m) tall and puts out only a few lateral branches. 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. Leaf size varies considerably, up to long, and wide. The leaves are arranged alternately along the stem, with no stipules, on petioles up to
The inflorescences occur in the leaf axils and at the top of the stem and consist of panicles of 1 many flowers. The flowers are actinomorphic with 5 lilac/pink petals up to 2 cm long and 5 green sepals which are much shorter than the petals, and fused at the base. Below the petals is a cup shaped epicalyx with 6 9 narrow, triangular lobes, half the length of the sepals. The purple stamens are united into a tube, the anthers kidney shaped and one celled. There is one style which protrudes above the stamen tube. 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". The whole fruit is a schizocarp, about 1 cm in diameter, which splits into about 20 kidney shaped mericarps (seeds) about 2 mm long.

Marshmallows are used in gardening as ornamental plants.

The leaves, flowers and the root of A. officinalis (marshmallow) have been used in traditional herbal medicine. This use is reflected in the name of the genus, which comes from the Greek ἀλθαίνειν (althainein), meaning "to heal". The Latin specific epithet officinalis indicates plants with some culinary or medicinal value. Marshmallow is traditionally used as relief for irritation of mucous membranes, including use as a gargle for mouth and throat ulcers and gastric ulcers.

Most of the mallows have been used as food, and are mentioned by early classic writers with this connection. Mallow was an edible vegetable among the Romans; a dish of marsh mallow was one of their delicacies. Prospero Alpini stated in 1592 that a plant of the mallow kind was eaten by the Egyptians. Many of the poorer inhabitants of Syria subsisted for weeks on herbs, of which marshmallow is one of the most common. When boiled first and fried with onions and butter, the roots are said to form a palatable dish, and in times of scarcity consequent upon the failure of the crops, this plant, which grows there in great abundance, is collected heavily as a foodstuff. The young leaves can be cooked. The flower buds can be pickled. The roots can be peeled, sliced, boiled and sweetened to make candy. Water used to boil any part of the plant can be used as an egg white substitute. The root extract (halawa extract) is sometimes used as flavoring in the making of halva. The later French version of the recipe, called pâte de guimauve (or guimauve for short), included an egg white meringue and was often flavored with rose water. Pâte de guimauve more closely resembles contemporary commercially available marshmallows, which no longer contain Althaea officinalis.