Althaea officinalis Althaea officinalis Althaea officinalis, or marsh-mallow, is a perennial species indigenous to Europe, Western Asia, and North Africa, which is used in herbalism and as an ornamental plant. A confection made from the root since ancient Egyptian time evolved into today's marshmallow treat. The stems, which die down in the autumn, are erect , but can reach 6′6″ (2m), simple, or putting out only a few lateral branches. The leaves, shortly petioled, are roundish, ovate-cordate, long, and about 1 inch broad, entire or three to five lobed, irregularly toothed at the margin, and thick. They are soft and velvety on
Verbena officinalis "V. officinalis" as a subspecies or variety. But despite the outward similarity, biogeography alone strongly suggests there is really no justification to include this North American native here, and DNA sequence data agrees. Instead, "V. halei" seems to be closely related to "V. macdougalii", perhaps with some interbreeding with the "V. menthifolia" lineage which might explain its Common Vervain-like traits. Common vervain has been held in high esteem since classical antiquity; it has long been associated with divine and other supernatural forces, and it has an equally long-standing use as a medicinal plant. Herbal capsules are used as a soporific