Botany
· Erect, slender, branched perennial, hairy and aromatic herb, 15 to 80 cm in height, hi Fresh plant with characteristic aromatic odor when crushed.
· Leaves: stalked, alternate, ovate, 4-11 cm long, and 1 to 5 cm wide, with the tip and base somewhat pointed, and with round toothed margins, hispidly hairy.
· Flowers: flowering heads numerous, small, about 5 mm across, and borne in dense terminal corymbs. Ray flowers many, pale blue, purple or white. Disk flowers absent.
· Fruits: achenes, black, with 5 pappus scales which are awned and often toothed or serrate below.

Distribution
A common weed flowering year-round, from sea level to an altitude of 2,000 m. The seeds are light, easily dispersed and disseminated by wind.

Parts utilized
Leaves, young stems and flowering tops; collect from April to September.

Uses
Folkloric
The whole plant has been used as a decoction for cough, colds, fever, skin disease, and high blood pressure. Bleeding due to external wounds. Furuncle, eczema, carbuncle. Poultices for headaches.
Preparation
Dosage: 15 to 30 gms dried material in decoction. Pounded fresh material may be applied as poultice to afflicted areas. Squeezed juice from fresh material when dropped inside the ears treats otitis media.

Availability
Wild-crafted.