A stout, coarse, wiry, erect or diffuse, hispid, annual herb, usually 30 to 60 cm high; stems densely pilose, often purple. Leaves opposite, lanceolate to oblanceolate, 5 to 10 cm long and 1.3 to 2.5 cm wide, apex acute or subobtuse, margins entire, base acute, upper surface covered with stout, stiff, bulbous to based hairs, finely pubescent on veins beneath; upper leaves sessile or very short to petioled, lower leaves with petioles 4 to 13 mm long. Flowers pale blue, numerous, borne solitary and axillary or in irregular nodding racemose, terminal paniculate cymes with long, drooping pedicels; Fruits ellipsoid, nutlets ovoid-oblong, smooth, obscurely margined, 4 to 5 mm long, grey-brown when ripe.

The leaves are credited with emollient, demulcent, and diuretic properties and are used to prepare emollient poultices; hypothermic and stimulates the central nervous system (plant)

PIER

Toxic alkaloids, such as supinene and linoleic, oleic, octadeca tri and tetra enoic acids (seed).

In hemorrhoids (plant); analgesic (root); as a diuretic and demulcent (leaf). In Ayurveda the plant is considered alexipharmic and is used to treat leucoderma and piles.

Chandel et al., Biodiversity in Medicinal and Aromatic Plants in India.