Althaea (plant) rose water. "Pâte de guimauve" more closely resembles contemporary commercially available marshmallows, which no longer contain any actual marshmallow. The root's emulsifying property is used for cleaning Persian carpets in the Middle East. It is regarded as the best method to preserve the vibrancy of vegetable dyes used in coloring the carpet's wool. Althaea (plant) Althaea is a genus of 6–12 species of perennial herbs native to Europe, North Africa and western Asia. It includes "Althaea officinalis", also known as the marshmallow plant, whence the fluffy confection got its name. They are found on the banks of rivers and in
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,