An extremely variable annual herb, 2-50 cm tall, with erect to decumbent or prostrate stems rooting at the base. Leaves usually ovate or ovate-triangular to oblong or elliptical, 2-18 mm x 1-10 mm, chartaceous, lower side sometimes glaucous, with 1-7 basal veins, usually without reticulate venation, laminar glands pale, sessile. Inflorescence lax, 1-30-flowered; flowers 4-8 mm in diameter, sepals 2-5.5 mm x 0.5-2 mm, free, 3-5-veined, often with prominent midrib, laminar glands pale, petals 1.7-5 mm x 0.8-1.8 mm, persistent, pale yellow to orange, without glands, stamens 5-30, in 5 irregular groups, ovary 1-celled, placentas 2-3, parietal, styles divergent, broadening to capitate stigmas. Fruit cylindrical to globose, 2-6 mm long. Seeds minute, cylindrical, longitudinally ribbed with striae, not carinate.

Astringent, alterative, stomachic and externally as vulnerary (plant).

PROSEA (Plant Resources of South-East Asia) Foundation

Used externally to treat wounds, swellings, abscesses, scrofula and fungal skin diseases, leech and snake bites, and to treat caries and bad breath (plant); used internally against malaria, together with ginger and ash salt (crushed plant); In Chinese medicine, it is applied as vulnerary on wounds and leech bites, and to treat bacterial diseases, hepatitis and tumours