Marshmallow Marshmallow A marshmallow is a sugar-based confectionery that in its modern form typically consists of sugar, water and gelatin whipped to a squishy consistency, molded into small cylindrical pieces, and coated with corn starch. Some marshmallow recipes call for eggs. This is the modern version of a medicinal confection made from "Althaea officinalis", the marshmallow plant. The word "marshmallow" comes from the mallow plant species ("Althaea officinalis"), an herb native to parts of Europe, North Africa, and Asia which grows in marshes and other damp areas. The plant's stem and leaves are fleshy and its white flower has five petals.
Althaea officinalis the other mallows growing in Great Britain by the numerous divisions of the outer calyx (six to nine cleft), by the hoary down which thickly clothes the stems and foliage, and by the numerous panicles of blush-coloured flowers, paler than the common mallow. The roots are perennial, thick, long and tapering, very tough and pliant, whitish yellow outside, white and fibrous within. The generic name, "Althaea", is derived from the Greek (to cure), from its supposed healing properties. The name of the family, Malvaceae, is derived from the Latin "", a generic name for the mallows and the source of