[ *47 1
A L T H E A officinalis.
Marjh Mallow.
< g s .
MO N AD E L P H IA Polyandria.
Gen. Char. Cal. double; the external one in about
9 fegments. Arilli numerous, each containing one
feed.
Spec. Char. Leaves Ample, downy, flightly jj-lobed.
Svn . Althtea officinalis. Linn. Sp. PI. 966. Hudf. FI.
An. 306. With. Bot. Arr. 735. Relh. Cant. 264.
A . vulgaris. Rail Syn. 252.
S a l t marfhes, and banks of ditches in the fens afford Marfh
Mallows in great abundance. We are obliged to Mr. Jacob
Raver for this wild fpecimen from Woldham marfh, Kent. It
flowers from July to September.
The roots are perennial, long and woody, abounding (as
well as the herb) with a pure taftelefs colourlefs mucilage, for
which reafon its decoftion is much ufed in diforders of the
kidneys or bladder, and in all cafes where emollients are
wanted. The items are numerous, upright, two or three
feet high, round, naked below and purplifh; in the upper
part covered with numerous alternate leaves, various in
breadth, more or lefs evidently 5_lobed and 5-ribbed, unequally
ferrated in the margin. From their bofoms arife fhort denfe
panicles of not inelegant pale purplifh flowers. The outer
calyx has often 10 or even 12 divifions, though generally but
0. Nothing can exceed the delicately foft pubefcence which
clothes every part of this herb, and which confifts of minute
ftarry hairs entangled with each other.