Aerva lanata (L.) Juss.

Perennial erect herb, 10-110 cm long, often divided from near the base into ascending or erect branches; main branches and upper part of the stem often unbranched for a considerable length, leafy and flowering almost throughout; stems terete, hard, densely clothed with appressed and patent white hairs; internodes usually shorter than 2 cm. Leaves alternate, oval-elliptic-obovate from a cuneate or contracted base, acute or rather obtuse, with a very short mucro, on both surfaces (especially so beneath) rather densely appressed white-pubescent, 6-50 by 3-30 mm; highest leaves often very small; petiole 2-15 mm. Spikes mostly 2-4 together, patent or obliquely erect, cylindric with a usually rounded apex, pure white, ½-1½ cm, sometimes up to 2½ cm long; highest often collected into a dense leafless inflorescence, but never forming a loosely branched panicle. Flowers softly membranous; all ☿; bracts and bracteoles ovate-oval, mucronate, white, externally hairy, ¾-1 mm long. Tepals 1⅓-1½ mm, densely white-woolly outside, oval-oblong, rounded or very obtuse; 2 outer ones with minute mucro, entirely white, 3 others with green midrib. Stamens ± half as long as perianth; style totalling ¼-⅓ mm, bifid nearly halfway down; arms very distinct, obliquely spreading, shortly linear. Utricle ± 1 mm diam. Seed ⅔-¾ m. Fruiting spike easily breaking up (in a dried state). Graceful plant!

Especially in periodically dry areas, in Java ^2-100 m, in dry localities, along roadsides, on neglected premises, waste places, locally often frequent.

Uses. Leaves steeped in hot water used as a remedy against sudden swellings.

Can be grown by seedlings.