Distribution and habitat: India.

Botany: A much branched slender prostrate or decumbent herbaceous annual or perennial rooting  at the nodes and the ascending  branches ending in inflorescence. Stems and branches violetish red. 

• Leaves:  Simple, opposite, exstipulate, short petioled, rhomboid or ovate, sub acute, up to 7cm long and 3.5 cm broad.
• Flowers: Reddish violet or violet in terminal spikes or racemes, 10-20 cm long.
• Fruits: Ovoid membranous, utricles enclosed in the perianth.
• Seed: Single, oblong, inverse.

Properties: Emetic, alexipharmic

Chemical constituents: ecdysterone, resveratrol, flavan-3-ol, rutin, catechin, kaempferol, Naringenin

Uses:  Cough, wounds, ulcers, skin diseases, abdominal disorders, dyspepsia 

Formulations: Surasadi tailam, Aviltoaldi bhasma

Propagation: Seeds.