A family of plants whose leaves, roots, and flowers can be used medicinally to treat digestive ailments and coughs. Available at health food stores.
A member of the moderately large plant family Malvaceae, though more narrowly of some of its herbaceous genera allied to Malva. A feature of the family (to which hibiscuses also belong) is the presence of a slimy mucilage layer under the very tough bark, often with mucilage also in leaves and roots. Marsh mallow is Althaea officinalis, its mucilage used in the original marshmallow.