Althaea officinalis times of scarcity consequent upon the failure of the crops, this plant, which grows there in great abundance, is collected heavily as a foodstuff. The leaves, flowers and the root of "A. officinalis" (marshmallow) have been used in traditional herbal medicine. This use is reflected in the name of the genus, which comes from the Greek (""), meaning "to heal." Marshmallow was traditionally used as relief for irritation of mucous membranes, including use as a gargle for mouth and throat ulcers and gastric ulcers. The flowers and young leaves can be eaten, and are often added to salads or are
Stachys officinalis Stachys officinalis Stachys officinalis is commonly known as common hedgenettle, betony, purple betony, wood betony, bishopwort, or bishop's wort. The French common name is "betoine", and "Betonie" in German. It is a perennial grassland herb growing to 1 to 2 feet tall. Pliny (25, 8, 46, § 84) calls the plant both "betonica" and "vettonica", claiming that the Vettones used it as a herbal medicine. The word "stachys" comes from the Greek, meaning "an ear of grain," and refers to the fact that the inflorescence is often a spike. "Stachys officinalis" is a perennial grassland herb growing to 30 to