False Daisy

False Daisy, originally uploaded by kadavoor.

Eclipta prostrata

Synonyms: Eclipta erecta, Eclipta alba, Eclipta punctata, Verbesina prostrate

Family: Asteraceae (Sunflower family)

Eclipta alba (L.) Hassk. (syn. Eclipta prostrata L.), commonly known as False Daisy , yerba de tago, andbhringraj, is a plant belonging to the family Asteraceae. Root well developed, cylindrical, greyish. Floral heads 6-8 mm in diameter, solitary, white, achene compressed and narrowly winged. It grows commonly in moist places as a weed all over the world. It is widely distributed throughout India, China, Thailand, and Brazil. In ayurvedic medicine, the leaf extract is considered a powerful liver tonic, rejuvenative, and especially good for the hair. A black dye obtained fromEclipta alba is used for dyeing hair and tattooing. Eclipta alba also has traditional external uses, like athlete foot, eczema and dermatitis, on the scalp to address hair loss and the leaves have been used in the treatment of scorpion stings. It is used as anti-venom against snakebite in China and Brazil (Mors, 1991). It is reported to improve hair growth and colour
Taken at Kadavoor, Kerala, India

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eclipta_alba

www.flowersofindia.net/catalog/slides/False%20Daisy.html

www.missouriplants.com/Whiteopp/Eclipta_alba_page.html