Plant 6.5-32 cm tall, rarely suffruticose. Leaves horizontal or drooping, obovate, obovate-lanceolate or ovate-oblong, acute or obtusish, base usually attenuate, sometimes cuneate or rounded, 1-47 mm long, 0.5-9 mm broad. Cymes ± sessile, glomerular. Flowers sessile or subsessile. Hypanthium 1-1.75 mm long, 1.5-2.5 mm broad. Epicalyx obscure. Petals absent. Style c. 0-0.25 (-0.5) mm. Capsule slightly exceeding the hypanthium, 1.25-1.5(-2) mm in diameter.

Fl. Per.: March-Aug.

Type: Described from China. Herb. Linn. 156/3 (LINN).

Distribution: Africa, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, China, Philippines, New Guinea, Australia.

A very variable species of rice fields and other wet places in our area up to 1200 m.

Bruised fresh leaves are used for raising blisters in rheumatic pains, fevers, etc. Leaf extract is poisonous and food contaminated with it may produce severe burning pain in the abdomen.