Eclipta prostrata - False Daisy

False Daisy is an annual commonly found growing in waste ground. Stems are erect or prostate, entirely velvety, often rooting at nodes, up to 60 cm tall. Oppositely arranged stalkless, oblong, lance-shaped, or elliptic leaves are 2.5-7.5 cm long, papery, densely bristly-velvet-hairy on both surfaces, stalkless or shortly stalked, margin minutely toothed, tip gradually tapering. Flower-heads are about 6 mm wide, carried on slender stalks, 2-4.5 cm long. Involucre is spherical-bell-shaped, about 5 × 6-7 mm, enlarging to 11 mm wide in fruit; phyllaries are 5 or 6, 2-seriate, oblong, pointed, outer longer. Ray florets are in 2 series; blade 2.5-3 × about 0.4 mm, bifid or entire. Disk florets are many. Seedpods are about 2.8 × 1.5 mm, margin ribbed. It is believed to be native to Central, North, and South America, but now found wild across the world. Flowering: June-September.
Medicinal uses: Warning: Unverified information

Bhringraj is mainly used in hair oils, but it has been considered a good drug in hepatotoxicity. In hair oils, it may be used alongwith Centela asiatica (Brahmi) and Phyllanthus emblica (Amla). It may be used to prevent habitual abortion and miscarriage and also in cases of post-delivery uterine pain. A decoction of leaves is used in uterine haemorrhage. The juice of the plant with honey is given to infants with castor oil for expulsion of worms. For the relief in piles, fumigation with Eclipta alba is considered beneficial. The paste prepared by mincing fresh plants has got an anti-inflammatory effect and may be applied to insect bites, stings, swellings and other skin diseases.