Botany
Smooth, perennial herb, 30-60 cm in height, half woody at the base, creeping and rooting at the lower part. Roots have a white balsamic exudation. Leaves are smooth, opposite, narrowly elliptic or lanceolate, 5-8 cm long, triplinerved, pointed at both ends, distantly toothed or nearly entire margins. Flowering heads are 6-12 mm long, with about 20 pink flowers, 6-7 mm long.

Distribution
Widely distributed in the Philippines.
Occasional garden cultivation.
Propagated by cuttings.

Parts utilized
Rhizomes.

Properties and constituents
Leaves contain a volatile oil, ayapana oil.
Leaves are sudorific, tonic, febrifuge, alterative and antiscorbutic.
Similar to chamomile in effects; stimulant and tonic in small doses, laxative in quajntities.

Folkloric uses:
Leaves used as a diet drink with its agreeable and spicy taste.
Bruised leaves used for cleaning surfaces of foul smelling ulcers.
As infusion. used for dyspepsia, other bowel and lung problems.
Hot infusion is emetic and diaphoretic.
Bitter leaves used for fever, colds and diarrhea.
Leaves applied to forehead for relieve headaches.

Availability
Wildcrafted.