Alcea setosa

Alcea setosa, the bristly hollyhock,[2] is an ornamental plant in the family Malvaceae.

Alcea setosa
Bristly hollyhock flowers and leaves, with Robinia sp. leaves
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Malvales
Family: Malvaceae
Genus: Alcea
Species:
A. setosa
Binomial name
Alcea setosa
Synonyms[1]
  • Alcea pontica Janka
  • Althaea aegyptica Boiss.
  • Althaea pontica (Janka) Baker f.
  • Althaea setosa Boiss.

The bristly hollyhock is native to the Levant: ranging from Crete, Turkey, Lebanon and Syria to the botanical region of Palestine (including Israel and Jordan).[1] The part above ground of the plant withers and dies in the summer. In the winter, a rosette of flowers develops and a vertical flowering stem grows out of it. The pink flowers are numerous and large, while in the Galilee and the Carmel the flowers are darker and in the Gilboa and Samaria the flowers are lighter. In the Mount Lebanon, flowers ranging from dark pink to white can be found. The whole plant is bristly, hence its common name. The plant flowers from April until June.

In folk medicine, the liquid of the plant is used to treat injuries, burns, coughs and inflammation. The flower buds are edible, cooked and raw, and are considered as medicine for sicknesses in the airways. In Lebanese villages, Bristly hollyhock flowers are dried in the sun, then mixed with other herbs and wild flowers, prepared as concoctions, and served as tea drinks.

References
  1. "Alcea setosa". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 26 July 2020.
  2. "Bristly Hollyhock". Wildflowers of Israel. Retrieved 26 July 2020.


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