It was mentioned in Sanskrit writings as being present in northern, western and southern India. In the Nighantus it was described as cold, sweet and astringent.

It is a common weed found throughout India.

The stem is slender, grooved and ribbed. The leaves are variable in shape, broadly elliptic or lanceolate, membranous or rather coriaceous. The flowers are pinkish and purple, in minute heads in rounded or flat-topped corymbs. The achenes are oblong, terete, & slightly narrowed at the base.

Triterpenes are the major constituent of the herb¹. 24-hydroxytaraxer-14-ene was identified and the structure was elucidated². b-amyrin acetate, b-amyrin benzoate, lupeol and its acetate, b-sitosterol, sigmasterol and a-spinasterol were isolated³.

The juice of the plant is given to children with urinary incontinence. The leaves are eaten as a potherb. A decoction of it is also given in diarrhea, stomachache and for cough and colic.

1. J. Nat. Prod. 1984, 47, 865; Planta medica, 1993, 59, 458.
2. J. Nat. Prod. 1984, 47, 865.
3. J. Indian Chem. Soc. 1962, 39, 749.