A perennial herb or subshrub up to 130 cm tall, erect or spreading and often widely branched, with tough bark. Leaves arranged spirally, simple, triangular or broadly ovate to lanceolate, lower leaves often slightly 3-lobed, 1-9 cm x 0.5-5 cm, margin crenate-serrate, 3-veined or 5-veined from the base, pubescent on the veins, green or with purplish tinge; petiole 0.3-4.5 cm long, sparsely pubescent to subvillose; stipules about 5 mm long, present on young twigs. Inflorescence an axillary or terminal head-like cyme, rarely less compact, subtended by 1-4 leaves with their stipules forming a kind of involucre, many-flowered. Flowers with pedicel bearing 3-4 pilose bracteoles at apex, bisexual, actinomorphic, 5(-7)-merous; calyx campanulate, about 2.5 mm long, with teeth much shorter than tube, pubescent; petals obovate-spatulate, 4-7 mm long, lilac or white with a yellow spot at base, soon withering; stamens opposite the petals, filaments connate to halfway or more, anthers broad, 2-lobed; ovary superior, 5-celled, densely pilose, each cell with 1-2 ovules, styles 5, united at base. Fruit a small globose capsule, 3.5-5 mm in diameter, green, whitish, pink to purplish-black, loculicidal but valves easily septicidal dehiscent, each cell 1-2-seeded. Seeds small, wingless; endosperm abundant; embryo straight, cotyledons flattened.

PROSEA (Plant Resources of South-East Asia) Foundation

Leaves are used for poulticing sores and swellings of the abdomen. The sap is applied as an antidote to wounds caused by Antiaris poisoning. Leaves and roots are used for poulticing in cases of smallpox. A decoction of the leaves and roots is used internally to treat dysentery, and a decoction of the leaves to stop vomiting. A leaf decoction is also prescribed in a compound mixture against urinary disorders. A decoction of the plant is applied as a cure for abdominal swelling, dysentery and snake bites.