A perennial herb with numerous stems springing from a large, thick, elongated, tough, fleshy yellowish-white tapering root-stock, reaching a foot in length. Leaves alternate on rather long stalks, the lower ones roundish-ovate, the upper triangular-oval. Flowers in small axillary clusters of 2 to 4 solitary, shortly stalked, forming at the end of the stem narrow leafy panicles. Seed kidney shaped, smooth, brown; embryo curved, with thin cotyledons, endosperm almost absent.

Demulcent, emmolient, diuretic, anti-inflammatory, expectorant, mucilaginous.

Plants for a Future
Marshmallow
Botanical.com
Althaea officinalis

Mucilage and flavonoids, arabinogalactan, ascorbic acid, beta carotene, caffeic acid, chlorogenic acid, choline, erucic acid, ferulic acid, kaempferol, lecithin, quercetin, salycilic acid, scopoletin.

Inflammations of the upper respiratory tract and mouth, coughs and as a poutice for edema; less popularly used in asthma (infusion), gastrointestinal problems and in colic (with diarrhea).

The mucilagin in marshmallow may absorb and hence reduce the action of drugs taken at the same time.

Stary, Medicinal Herbs and Plants.