An aromatic biannual or perennial herb, 30—120 cm tall. Leaves ovate, pinnatilobed to pinnatifid, very variable in size, base cuneate, often with 1—2 small, widely patent segments, on the lower surface densely white- or grey-appressed-hairy, on the upper surface almost glabrous. Flower heads often in a dense corymb, peduncle hardly thickened at the top, hairy, involucre usually cup-shaped, involucral bracts hairy, often widely patent, 6—9 mm long or longer, heads very variable, 2—20 cm in diameter; corolla of ligulate flower 11—35 mm long, white, yellow, pink, red, violet or brown.

Antibacterial, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, carminative, depurative, diaphoretic, febrifuge, ophthalmic, refrigerant and sedative (flower heads).

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

Used externally to improve vision, soothe sore eyes, relieve headaches and counteract infections, and when taken internally they dilate the coronary artery, thus increasing the flow of blood to the heart, and so are used in the treatment of hypertension, coronary heart diseases and angina (flower heads); smeared onto wounds (leaf juice).