Althaea (plant) often added to salads or are boiled and fried. The roots and stem also secrete mucilage, which is used to soften the skin, and is used in cosmetic treatments. The Roman poet Horace refers to his own diet in his Odes, which he describes as very simple: "As for me, olives, endives, and smooth mallows provide sustenance." The root has been used since Egyptian antiquity in a honey-sweetened confection useful in the treatment of sore throat. The later French version of the recipe, called "pâte de guimauve" (or "guimauve" for short), included an eggwhite meringue and was often flavored with
Althaea (plant) treated in the genus "Alcea" (hollyhocks). Accepted species according to Plants of the World online are:<br> "Althaea angulata" Freyn<br> "Althaea armeniaca" Ten.<br> "Althaea bertramii" Post & Beauverd<br> "Althaea cannabina" L.<br> "Althaea chrysantha" Sam.<br> "Althaea damascena" Mouterde<br> "Althaea hiri" Parsa<br> "Althaea octaviae" Evenari<br> "Althaea officinalis" L.<br> "Althaea oppenheimii" Ulbr.<br> "Althaea villosa" Blatt.<br> The root contains starch (37%), mucilage (11%), pectin (11%), flavonoids, phenolic acids, sucrose, and asparagine. The traditional medicinal uses of the plant are reflected in the name of the genus, which comes from the Greek "althainein", meaning "to heal". The flowers and young leaves can be eaten, and are