Morphological information

Rootstock woody, fibrous, clothed with old leaf-sheath. Flowering stems 15-30 cm tufted, hairy, sometimes branched. Leaves many stalked, arising form the rootstock, round or almost round in outline, deeply heart shaped, 3 parted, 5-7.5 cm diameter, softly hairy on both surfaces, lobes variously cut and lobed, broad, not stalked. Involucral leaves about 2.5 cm long, 3-lobed, not stalked. Flowers 1-3 on one stem, 19- 50 mm diameter, white, the lower portion outside usually tinged with blue-purple or lead colour, often blue or deep blue, or at higher altitudes, yellow. Flower- stalks long, slender. Sepals usually 5, sometimes more, silky outside, petal like. Petals 0. Stamens many. Fruit a head of many achenes,  which are tipped by a short style and not imbedded in wool, but coarsely hairy.

Flowering       : May-June

Fruiting           : June-July

History           :

Parts               : Roots, leaves, seeds

Status             : Low risk

Unani

Leaves and bark, hot, dry, bitter, good in complaints of spleen and kidney, remove jaundice; taken with wine as an antidote in snake bite; good for sores in the mouth.

Traditional

The oil extracted from the seeds is used in rheumatism. The rootstock is given with milk for concussions. Used internally for contusion and externally as blister (Root is powdered and mixed with milk).