A branched annual or biennial herb up to 150 cm tall. Leaves are bipinnatifid, up to 15 cm long, with pectinately dentate lanceolate to linear, 1.5-2 mm wide segments, glabrous. Flower heads in panicles, 4-6 mm long, central flowers bisexual, corolla pale yellowish. Fruit is obovoid, nearly 1 mm long and glabrous.

Depurative, antiphlogistic, febrifuge, stomachic, tonic and vermifuge (whole plant); antiperiodic, antiseptic, digestive and febrifuge (leaves).

Plants For A Future
PROSEA (Plant Resources of South-East Asia) Foundation

Used in treating malaria, low-grade fevers, tidal fever, summer heat stroke, chronic diarrhea, phthisis, purulent scabies and intestinal troubles, and also helps to check bleeding (whole plant); in asthma (decoction of the root); used internally to treat fevers, colds and diarrhoea, and externally poulticed onto nose bleeds, boils and abscesses (leaves); in the treatment of flatulence, indigestion and night sweats (seeds).