It is an annual or perennial, prostrate weed. Branches are glabrous and the ultimate ones are with two lines of hair. The nodes are often villous. The leaves are variable in size, even longer when growing in watery places, opposite, sessile or shortly petioled, rather fleshy, sometimes obscurely denticulate. The flowers are bisexual. Perianth is acuminate. Stamens are 2 to 3. Fruits are compressed with winged margin.

Hypothermic and antiulcer; increases flow of milk after parturition in women (plant juice).

PIER

Stigmasterol, beta-sitosterol, a saturated aliphatic hydrocarbon and an aliphatic ester.

To treat wounds, flatulence, cough, bronchitis and diabetes, hair growth, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and dysentery (plant juice); for relieving indigestion and are eaten as a cooked vegetable or in soups (young shoots and leaves); to relieve inflamed wounds (root).

Sharma, Classical Uses of Medicinal Plants.