Distribution and habitat: Throughout South India. 

Botany:  A perennial viscid pubescent semi-erect diffuse undershrub, 60-120 cm long with slender branches, more or less clothed with whitish hairs

• Leaves : 3-foliate, terminal leaflet rhomboid-ovate, the lateral ones obliquely ovate-oblong or sub-rhomboid, all more or less hairy above and densely grey, silky beneath. Petioles 1.3-2.5 cm long, densely hairy.
• Flowers: Purplish or pink, small, numerous, in distant fascicles along the rachis of terminal and axillary racemes or panicles.
• Fruits: Pods, linear-oblong, flattened, covered with sticky hairs, seeds 4-6, compressed, brownish black.

Uses:  The roots are astringent, sweet, bitter, thermogenic, emollient, digestive, constipating, anthelmintic, nervine tonic, anti-inflammatory, diuretic, cardiotonic, aphrodisiac, febrifuge, rejuvenating and tonic. Used in the treatment of tuberculosis, emaciation, inflammations, neurasthenia, gout, hyperthermia, heart diseases, pile

Propagation:  Seeds. Overnight soaking in hot water (70 °C) is done for germination. The germinated seedlings are transplanted at 2-3 weeks stage at 40 cm X 20 cm spacing.