A large gregarious tawny-villous shrub up to 9 cm in height with bluntly quadrangular branchlets; leaves are large 10-25 cms/9-20 cms, ovate, acuminate entire or denticulate, base cordate, hairy on both the sides; flowers are white, tinged with pink in terminal panicles; fruits are somewhat globose drupes, seated on the enlarged pink calyx containing 1-4 pyrenes.

Eliminates intestinal worms, antiperiodic, laxative and cholagogue (leaf).

Flavonoids (leaf); ethyl and methyl esters of caffeic acids, fumaric acid, beta-sitosterol and its glucosides (flower).

Scorpion sting antidote (flower and leaf) ; for tumours and certain skin diseases (root and leaf). Fresh leaf juice is used as an injection into the rectum for ascariasis.

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