It is an erect, fleshy, glabrous and polymorphous shrubs or small tree with 1 to 5 m height and terete or obscurely 3 to 6 angled branches and sinuate winged branchlets. Leaves are small, fleshy, deciduous and obovate-oblong with rounded apex and cuneate and entire base. Involucres are 3-nate, in short-peduncled simple or less often compounded cymes. Styles are free and 2 lobed with 5 large glands. The cocci are glabrous and compressed.

Stimulates the cardiovascular system (aerial part), emetic, irritant, purgative, stomachic.

Phipphine Medicinal Plants

Taraxerol (root); cycloartenol, beta-amyrin, euphol and alpha-euphorbol (latex); taraxerone, friedelan-3-alpha-ol and -3-beta-ol (stem).

Syphilis, bronchitis, asthma, anasarca, dropsy and whitlow (plant); used as external application in cutaneous affections, rheumatism, toothache and ulcers. Its stem-decoction is beneficial in gout and nervous diseases.

The sap is irritating to the human eye and blindness may occur following eye contact.

Chandel et al., Biodiversity in Medicinal and Aromatic Plants in India.