Botany
An annual, hairy herb, 30 to 60 cm in height. Leaves are oblong, 2.5 to 7.5 cm long, stalkless or short-stalked, and acute of blunt at the tip. Flowers are small, borne in whorls or hairy spikes. Calyx is 5 to 7 mm long, with triangular teeth, enlarging to a fruit. Corolla is pink, with slender tube and hairy lobes. Nutlets are ellipsoid and smooth.

Distribution
Abundant in open, wet places at low and medium altitudes.

Parts used
Whole plant.

Uses
Folkloric
Used in children, for simple stomach problems as pains and flatulence. The plant is pounded, alone or poulticed with lime, and applied to the abdomen.
Poultice is also used for parasitism, kidney ailments, sorethroat, headache, stomach pains and diarrhea.
In Java, leaves reportedly used for stomach problems.
In Bangladesh, used for stomach pains as warm leaf poultice; and as leaf juice in tetanus, as blood purifier, and for helminthiasis

Studies
• Biologic Activity: In a screening of Indian plants for biologic activity, M auricularis showed diuretic activity.

Availability
Wild-crafted.