Althaea cannabina soils. Althaea cannabina Althaea cannabina, commonly called palm-leaf marshmallow or hemp-leaved hollyhock, is a perennial herb belonging to the genus "Althaea" of the Malvaceae family. The leaves resemble those of hemp ("Cannabis sativa"), hence the specific epithet "cannabina" ("hemp-like"). "Althaea cannabina" reaches on average of height. The stem is erect, cylindrical, pubescent and very branched. Lower leaves are petiolate, hairy and almost completely subdivided in three-five segments, linear or linear-lanceolate, toothed or lobed, up to wide and long. The upper leaves are simply lobed and toothed. The flowers are solitary or in clusters and grow in the axils of the
Althaea (mythology) Althaea (mythology) Althaea or Althea (; Ancient Greek: Ἀλθαία "Althaía" "healer" from "althainein", "to cure"; "also a kind of" mallow") was the queen of Calydon in Greek mythology. Althaea was the daughter of King Thestius and Eurythemis, and was sister to Leda, Hypermnestra, Iphiclus, Euippus. She was also the wife of Oeneus, king of Calydon, and mother of sons, Meleager, Toxeus, Thyreus (Pheres or Phereus), Clymenus, Agelaus (Ageleus), Periphas and daughters, Deianeira, Gorge, Melanippe and Eurymede (the latter two were included in the Meleagrids). According to some writers, Meleager was the result of a liaison with the Greek god Ares,