A large, rough, hairy weed. The stem is from 1 to 2 feet high, erect, much-branched, and covered with small, stiff hairs. The leaves are numerous, veiny, alternate, sessile, ovate, and acute at the apex. They are covered with a close, grayish pubescence, which is rough and stiff on the upper surface, but softer beneath. The flowers appear in June, and are small, in axillary or terminal, revolute, leafy spikes. The calyx has 5 acute lobes. The corolla is salverform, slightly exceeds the calyx, and is of a pale-yellow color. The fruit consists generally of one or two smooth, hard, shiny, gray, ovate nutlets, which are attached to the persistent calyx by the base.

Diuretic, lithontripic and oxytocic (mature seeds); sedative (leaves); depurative (root); contraceptive (herb extract)

Plants for a Future
King's American Dispensatory

In the treatment of bladder stones, arthritis and febrile conditions (seed); in the treatment of eruptive diseases such as smallpox, measles and itch (root decoction); in cuts, wounds, old sores, gunshot wounds, eczema and burns (plant)