Definition

Noun: 1. A plant of the genus Althaea: Any of various perennial flowering plants belonging to the genus Althaea, typically characterized by hairy stems and leaves, and showy flowers. They are closely related to plants in the genus Alcea (hollyhocks) but generally have smaller flowers.

Usage Examples

• The garden's pink althea bloomed profusely along the fence.
• Marshmallow root, used in some herbal remedies, comes from a species of althea ().
• Botanists note that the althea is distinct from the hollyhock due to its flower size and plant structure.

Advanced Usage

• The term is often used in botanical and horticultural contexts to specify plants within this particular genus. It can also be used metonymically to refer to the dried root of for its medicinal properties.

Variants and Related Words

• Hollyhock ( spp.): A related genus of plants with taller stems and larger, showier flowers.
• Marshmallow (): A specific species of althea, also known as the marshmallow plant, from which the original confection was made.

Synonyms

• Marshmallow (when referring specifically to )
• (the scientific genus name)

Notes on Different Meanings

The word "althea" has a very specific meaning and is not commonly used in general English outside of botanical contexts. It refers exclusively to plants of this genus.

Noun

1. any of various plants of the genus Althaea; similar to but having smaller flowers than genus Alcea