A large perennial aquatic herb with short, erect, roundish, tuberous rhizome. Leaves floating, peltate, sharply sinnuate-toothed. Flowers large, floating, solitary, variable in colour from pure white to deep red. Fruit berry, spongy. Seeds many, minute, greyish black when dry with longitudinal striations.

Flowers are astringent and cardiotonic.

The rhizome has cooling and tonic properties. Used to treat diarrhoea, dysentery, dipsia and general debility. Seeds are cooling, constipating, aphrodisiac, stomachic and restorative. Used to treat dipsia, diarrhoea and dermatopathy.

Sharma PV. Classical Uses of Medicinal Plants.