Boerhavia diffusa L. (1753)

Herbs, perennial [rarely appearing annual], sometimes slightly woody at base; taproot fusiform, woody. Stems decumbent, ascending, or erect, usually profusely branched throughout, 3-10 dm, glabrous or minutely pubescent basally, glabrous or sparsely pubescent distally. Leaves mostly in basal ¹/2 of plant; larger leaves with petiole 10-30 mm, blade broadly lanceolate, ovate, or broadly ovate, occasionally ± round, 20-60 × 15-50 mm (distal leaves smaller, often proportionally narrower), base truncate, broadly cuneate, round, or shallowly cordate, often oblique, margins sinuate, apex obtuse to round, abaxial surface paler than adaxial, glabrous or minutely puberulent, sometimes glandular, usually with few large multicellular hairs on veins, adaxial surface glabrous, rarely sparsely puberulent, neither surface punctate. Inflorescences terminal, forked ca. 3-6 times ± equally, diffuse, occasionally with sticky internodal bands; branches divergent, terminating in compact subumbellate or capitate, 2-5-flowered clusters. Flowers: pedicel shorter than 0.5 mm; bract at base of perianth quickly deciduous, 1, lanceolate, 0.8-1 mm; perianth purplish red to reddish pink or nearly white, campanulate beyond constriction, 1-1.5 mm; stamens 2-3, included or barely exserted. Fruits (1-)2-5(-9) per cluster, gray-brown to brown, obpyramidal, (3-)3.5-4.5 × 1-1.2 mm (l/w: 2.8-4.1), apex broadly conic, with sparse or moderately dense stipitate-glandular hairs on ribs, less densely pubescent or glabrous in sulci [rarely entirely glabrous]; ribs 5, round, smooth; sulci ± 2-2.5 times as wide as base of ribs, not rugose, not papillate. 2n = 26, 52, 54, 116.

The plants are used medicinally.

"Habit: A spreading, prostrate herb, upto 75cm."

Boerhavia coccinea Miller; Boerhavia hirsuta L.; Boerhavia decumbens Vahl; Boerhavia diandra Aublet; Boerhavia paniculata Rich.