Annual to short-lived perennial herb up 1 m tall, sometimes with a thick taproot; stem branching mainly from the base, ascending to erect, fleshy, green, often flushed with red, lower parts thinly hairy, upper parts glabrous, nodes swollen. Leaves opposite, simple, about equal; stipules absent; petiole 1–3.5(–4) cm long; blade broadly lanceolate to ovate, 2.5–4.5(–8) cm × 1.5–2.5(–6.5) cm, base rounded to truncate, apex rounded to acute, margins sinuate, pale green to whitish beneath, sometimes with red marginal glands. Inflorescence an axillary, small, often congested umbel, (1–)4–5(–6)-flowered, aggregated in a diffuse panicle up to 30 cm × 20 cm, by reduction of leaves appearing terminal, elongating after start of flowering; bracts and bracteoles small, caducous. Flowers bisexual, regular; pedicel 1–3 mm long; perianth tubular-campanulate, distinctly constricted halfway, lower part obconical, surrounding the ovary, 5-ribbed, green, upper part 5-lobed, 1–1.5 mm × 2 mm, lobes emarginate, white to pale pink or dotted with red, soon falling; stamens 2(–3), slightly exserted; ovary superior, seemingly inferior, 1-celled, style slightly exserted, stigma head-shaped. Fruit an achene enclosed by the thickened lower part of perianth (collectively called anthocarp); anthocarp obconical or club-shaped, 3–4 mm × 1.5–2 mm apex truncate, sharply 5-ribbed, with glabrous ribs, 1-seeded. Seed obovoid, pale brown.

Aphrodisiac, diuretic, stomachic, cardiotonic, hepatoprotective, laxative, anthelmintic, febrifuge, expectorant and, in higher doses, as an emetic and purgative (root)

PROTAbase: Boerhavia erecta

The root is useful in cases of strangury, jaundice, enlarged spleen, gonorrhoea and other internal inflammations. In moderate doses it is successful in treatment of asthma. A decoction of the whole plant is taken to treat convulsions in children, gastro-intestinal, liver and infertility problems, while a paste of the roots is rubbed on abscesses and ulcers to ripen them. Ash of the whole plant is rubbed on the skin of the head against fungal infections; mixed with oil and rubbed on to treat rheumatism and scabies. The leaves are crushed in water and the extract taken to treat diarrhoea. Sap from the leaves is squeezed into the eye to treat conjunctivitis.