An erect, annual herb, 20—110 cm tall, with an unpleasant odour; stems and branches widely ascending-spreading, dichotomously forked above, densely short pubescent, branches tinged purple. Leaves opposite, simple, ovate-oblong to deltoid-ovate, 5—14 cm x 3—10 cm, base truncate to cuneate or narrowed into the petiole, apex short acuminate to acute, margins irregularly obtuse-dentate, distinctly 3-veined, chartaceous, densely short-pubescent on both sides, glandular dotted beneath, upper leaves gradually smaller and narrow, oblong, apex obtuse. petiole of lower leaves long, winged, of upper leaves short; stipules absent. Inflorescence a small head, 16—21 mm across, many together in a loose panicle; peduncles 1—3.5 cm long, the longest peduncle sometimes glandular-pilose; outer involucral bracts 5, spreading, 5—15 mm x 1—2 mm, glandular-pilose, inner involucral bracts 5, 5 mm long, glandular outside, enclosing the individual flowers like a boat. Ligulate flowers 5, female, corolla 2.2—2.5 mm long, trifid, yellow, reddish beneath, tubular flowers about 10, bisexual, corolla 1.5 mm long, apex 5-dentate, yellow; anthers 5, linear, sagittate; ovary inferior, 4—5-angled; style-arms in ligulate flowers 2.5 mm long, in bisexual flowers short, flattened, acute. Fruit an oblong, curved, truncate, 4-angular achene, 3 mm long, blackish, smooth; pappus absent.

As renal tonic, stomachic and cardiotonic (leaf sap); anodyne, alterative (for blood pressure), laxative, antiphlogistic, diaphoretic, antiscorbutic, sialagogic and anthelmintic (whole plant).

PROSEA (Plant Resources of South-East Asia) Foundation

Beta-sitosterol, stigmasterol (plant).

Commonly used in treatments of gangrenous ulcers and sores, skin lesions of leprosy, syphilis and venereal diseases, and as a remedy for ringworm and parasitic infections, used for diarrhoea, leucorrhoea, to facilitate menstruation (as a pain reliever), and to cure snake, insect or dog bites (fresh leaf sap); in the treatment of rheumatism, ostalgia, lumbago, impetigo, for ringworm, scabies, and other skin diseases, convulsions, strokes, paralysis, arthritis and neuralgic pains, chronic malaria, leprosy, venereal diseases and ulcers (whole plant); in the treatment of sprains, dislocations and contusions, and also for bee stings and snake bites (plant extract); for the treatment of gout and scrofula (plant syrup); to treat constipation in children (decoction of stem); for the treatment of dysentery (decoction of the dried leaves and flowers).