Alcea setosa
StarAlcea setosa
Synonyms: Althaea aegyptica, Alcea pontica, Althaea pontica, Althaea setosa
Western Herbalism Properties
Traditional Uses
In Levantine and Palestinian ethnobotanical traditions, Alcea setosa (khubbeizeh / hollyhock) is valued as a mucilaginous, soothing plant; preparations of its flowers, leaves and roots are used as demulcent remedies to soothe inflamed mucous membranes, sore throats and coughs, and to ease digestive and urinary irritation, consistent with the emollient mallow-mucilage tradition of the region (Lev & Amar, 2002).
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Botanical Description
Alcea setosa, the bristly or Eastern hollyhock, is a tall, robust biennial or short-lived perennial herb in the mallow family, native to the eastern Mediterranean and the Levant, including Israel, Lebanon, Syria and Turkey. It develops a stout taproot and an erect, unbranched flowering stem that can reach well over a metre, clothed throughout in coarse, bristly hairs that give the plant its epithet. The leaves are large, rounded to heart-shaped at the base, palmately lobed and roughly hairy, borne on long petioles. The showy flowers are arranged in a long terminal spike and are broadly funnel-shaped, with five overlapping petals ranging from pink to pale lilac. The numerous stamens are fused into a central column typical of the Malvaceae. Each flower is subtended by an epicalyx of bracts beneath the five-lobed calyx. The fruit is a flat, disc-shaped schizocarp that splits at maturity into many one-seeded segments. The whole plant is rich in soothing mucilage.
This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace professional medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before using any herbal remedy, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, or taking medications.
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