A small, creeping plant growing 5 to 15 cm high. Leaves compound, radical, heart-shaped and trifoliate; each leaf is about 2.5 cm across. Flowers small white flowers with pink streaks. Red or violet flowers also occur rarely. Capsule 5-lobed, 5-celled, and oblong; seeds several.

Antidote, arsenic, antidote, antipyretic, antiscorbutic, antiseptic, aphrodisiac, astringent, cardiac, depurative, diuretic, emmenagogue, expectorant, hemostatic, toxic and vermifuge.

Used against atherosclerosis, bleeding, cacoethes, cancer,breast cancer, lip cancer, hepatic cancer, oral cancers, spleen cancer, stomach cancer, catarrh, cystosis, dyspepsia, dysuria, fever, fistula, gastrosis, gingivosis, gonorrhea, heartburn, hemorrhoid, hepatosis, induration, inflammation, jaundice, nephrosis, orchosis, quinsy, sclerosis, scrofula, scurvy, sore, sore throat, spermatorrhea, splenosis, stomatosis, swelling, thirst, urethrosis, venereal diseases, water retention, worm trouble and wounds.

James A Duke and Maryl Fulton. Handbook of Medicinal Herbs - 2nd Edition, P: 795-796, CRC Press July 2002.