An annual to perennial herb, 30—50 cm tall, erect or ascending, rooting at the nodes, stem obtusely quadrangular, thickened above the nodes, often tinged with red, covered with patent, fine hairs. Leaves opposite, simple, rhomboid-obovate to rhomboid-oblong, 1.3—15 cm x 0.7—6.5 cm, base contracted or narrowed, rounded, apex triangular, acute to obtuse, entire, ciliate, margin or blade often tinged red; petiole short. Inflorescence an erect, elongated raceme, terminal and in highest leaf-axils, straight or sinuous, 18—33 cm long, rachis densely pubescent; peduncle 1—12 cm long; flowers in small clusters, in the lower part of the raceme distant, in the higher part crowded, pedicel short, erect before anthesis, reflexed in fruiting, bracts ovate, acuminate; lower clusters with 2—3 bisexual flowers and several sterile ones, with up to 20 red, hooked awns, towards the apex fewer sterile flowers, at apex only solitary bisexual flowers, ripe clusters falling off as a whole. Fruit an ellipsoid utricle, 1.5—2 mm long, thin-walled, glabrous, 1-seeded, surrounded by stiff perianth. Seed ovoid or ellipsoidal, 1—1.5 mm long, shiny brown.

Abortifacient (juice of the stem); diuretic (decoction of stem); expectorant (flowers); mild laxative (stem and leaves); haemostatic and cicatrizant (pulped plant).

PROSEA (Plant Resources of South-East Asia) Foundation

Used against cough (decoction of aerial parts); against dysentery (decoction of roots); used as a plaster for caterpillar itch, around the neck for cough and on the belly for intestinal worms or shingles and internally against abnormal and frequent urination, rheumatism, backache and paralysis (roots); drunk for colds and cough, rheumatism and dropsy (decoction of roots); as a remedy for cholera and for irritations of the throat (leaves); applied to snakebites (decoction of leaves); for fever and dysentery (infusion of whole plant); as ear drops for otitis and for headache (plant sap); on sores, burns and fractures (pulped plant); the ash of the burnt plant mixed with water is rubbed on the body for scabies and other skin ailments; to increase menstrual discharge (decoction of stem).