Eclipta prostrata

PLANT NAME: Eclipta prostrata (L.) L.

COMMON NAMES: Han lian cao [China]; false daisy, trailing eclipta [USA]; bhringaraj (“king of the tresses”), kayyunni, kannunni [India]; hong ling cho [Canton]; takasaburo [Japan].

FAMILY: Asteraceae (Daisy family).

TOXICITY: None noted.

CAUTIONS AND CONTRAINDICATIONS: Strong doses of fresh decoction may disturb digestion.

ENERGETIC CAUTIONS: Not with diarrhea from cold spleen / kidneys. Can cause chills.

RANGE: China, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, Australia & Hawai’i; but native to the Americas.

HABITAT: Likes it warm and wet. Grows best near the ocean. Partial shade.

NOTES ‘N QUOTES

The first recorded use of Eclipta prostrata was in theTang Materia Medica AD 659.
Eclipta is used in the Chinese patent medicine Qiang sheng bu gan pian.
Eclipta prostrata flowers are hermaphroditic (contain both sexes).