An annual or perennial herb up to 1.5 m tall. Leaves simple, alternate, 3.5 to 10.0 cm long and 1 to 5 cm wide, variable, apex acute, base cuneate, margins serrate, glabrate above and pubescent beneath. Flowers yellow, solitary or clustered in leaf axils; calyx campanulate, triangular, acuminate; petals 5.5 to 6.0 mm long, emarginate. Fruits mericarps, trigonous, sparsely pubescent, long awned up to 1 mm long. Seeds 1 to 2, subreniform, dark brown or black.

Anthelmintic, antifungal, alleviates spasms, antiinflammatory and antibacterial (plant); depresses the central nervous system and sedative (root).

Herb Information
PIER

Various alkaloids (plant); ascorbic acid, beta-carotene, niacin, riboflavin, thiamin (leaf); ephedrine (root)

It is used for gonorrhoea and ophthalmic disorders in Ayurveda. Unani employs it for piles, gonorrhoea, anti-soud, and as diuretic and aphrodisiac. Root of these herbs are held in great repute in treatment of rheumatism. Stems abound in mucilage and are employed as demulcents and emollients both for external and internal use. The herb is also useful in calculous troubles and as a febrifuge with pepper. Mucilage is used for scorpion sting.

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