Althaea cannabina
{{Short description|Species of flowering plant}}
{{Speciesbox
| image = Althaea cannabina 01.jpg
| genus = Althaea
| species = cannabina
| authority = L.
| synonyms =
}}
Althaea cannabina, commonly called palm-leaf marshmallow or hemp-leaved hollyhock, is a perennial herb belonging to the genus Althaea of the family Malvaceae. The leaves resemble those of hemp (Cannabis sativa), hence the specific epithet cannabina ("hemp-like").[http://www.winternet.com/~chuckg/dictionary/dictionary.54.html Dictionary of Botanical Epithets]
Description
Althaea cannabina reaches on average {{convert|40|-|200|cm}} of height. The stem is erect, cylindrical, pubescent and very branched. Lower leaves are petiolate, hairy and almost completely subdivided in three-five segments, linear or linear-lanceolate, toothed or lobed, up to {{convert|2|cm}} wide and {{convert|8|cm}} long. The upper leaves are simply lobed and toothed. The flowers are solitary or in clusters and grow in the axils of the leaves, on long pedicels up to {{convert|10|cm}} or on long peduncles up to {{convert|20|cm}}. They are usually pink or reddish-purple and heart-shaped, {{convert|8|-|10|mm}} wide and {{convert|13|-|15|mm}} long, with purple-red stamens. The flowering period extends from July through September.
Distribution
Althaea cannabina grows wild in central and southern Europe and in the Mediterranean Basin, from Portugal, north Africa and east to Turkey - except Balearic Islands, Corsica, Crete and Chipre - up to central Asia.O. Bolòs i J.Vigo Flora dels Països Catalans Barcelona 1990
Habitat
These plants grow at an altitude of {{convert|0|-|800|m}} above sea level. They prefer coastal thickets, forest edges, meadows, weedy places, roads, wasteland, pastures and parks, especially with rocky and calcareous soils.
Botanical gallery
File:Althaea_cannabina_kz03.jpg|Plant form, generally tall (Poland)
File:Althaea_cannabina_Ambérac_3.jpg|Plant form, tall (France)
File:Althaea cannabina in Antalya by David Merrick 09.jpg|Plant, shaded, less lush (Antalya)
File:Althaea_cannabina_Ambérac_1.jpg|Flowers (anthers unopened), with upper leaves (France)
File:Althaea_cannabina._04-08-2022_(actm.).jpg|Flower, anthers opened and unopened, petals may overlap more (Netherlands)
File:Althaea_cannabina_sl9.jpg|Flower underside, with many-part epicalyx outside the calyx base, hairs stellate (Bosnia and Herzegovina)
File:Althaea_cannabina_MHNT.BOT.2007.40.42.jpg|Fruits, hairless and rugose (France)
File:Althaea_cannabina_5_juny.JPG|Leaves, lush (Catalonia)
File:Althaea_cannabina_leaves_and_stem_detail.jpg|Leaves
File:Althaea cannabina sl3.jpg|Leaf, hairs stellate (Slovenia)
File:Althaea cannabina in Antalya by David Merrick 02.jpg|Stem leaves, less lush form (Antalya)
File:Althaea cannabina in Antalya by David Merrick 06.jpg|Stem, with stellate hairs (Antalya)
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{Commons}}
{{Wikispecies|Althaea cannabina}}
- {{PFAF|Althaea cannabina}}
- [https://www.biolib.cz/en/taxon/id195185/ Biolib]
{{Taxonbar|from=Q2561295}}
Category:Flora of temperate Asia
Category:Plants described in 1753
Category:Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus
{{Malveae-stub}}