Mo Han Lian

Eclipta prostrata

Family: Asteraceae Genus: Eclipta Species: prostrata Pinyin: Mo Han Lian Latin: Herba Ecliptae

Synonyms: Eclipta ciliata, Bellis ramosa, Spilanthes pseudoacmella, Verbesina pusilla, Eclipta angustata, Eclipta arabica, Spilanthes wedelioides, Polygyne inconspicua, Eclipta patula, Eleutheranthera prostrata, Artemisia viridis, Eclipta erecta var. brachypoda, Chamaemelum foetidum, Bellis racemosa, Anthemis cotula, Anthemis viridis, Anthemis sulphurea, Ecliptica alba var. parviflora, Eclipta philippinensis, Eclipta thermalis, Eclipta dubia, Eclipta palustris, Eclipta simplex, Aganippea dentata, Eclipta prostrata var. zippeliana, Verbesina debilis, Paleista procumbens, Eclipta angustifolia, Eclipta hirsuta, Eclipta erecta var. latifolia, Eclipta adpressa, Sabazia leiachaenia, Eclipta alba var. prostrata, Eclipta procumbens, Wedelia psammophila, Anthemis abyssinica, Wiborgia oblongifolia, Cotula prostrata, Cotula alba, Eupatoriophalacron album, Eclipta erecta var. prostrata, Eclipta parviflora, Anthemis cotula-foetida, Sabazia anomala, Eclipta alba var. longifolia, Ecliptica alba var. prostrata, Maruta cotula var. lithuanica, Eclipta zippeliana, Eclipta dichotoma, Cotula debilis, Eclipta alba var. parviflora, Eclipta sulcata, Grangea lanceolata, Galinsoga oblongifolia, Anthemis galilaea var. hierosolymitana, Micrelium asteroides, Paleista brachypoda, Eclipta alba var. zippeliana, Abasoloa taboada, Eclipta longifolia var. linearis, Eclipta heterophylla, Anthemis cotula var. hierosolymitana, Eclipta punctata, Cotula oederi, Verbesina pseudoacmella, Eclipta oederi, Eclipta alba f. longifolia, Eclipta procumbens var. brachypoda, Amellus carolinianus, Anthemis cotuloides, Eclipta brachypoda, Ecliptica alba var. zippeliana, Ecliptica alba, Eclipta prostrata f. aureoreticulata, Eclipta strumosa, Eclipta longifolia, Eclipta alba f. zippeliana, Micrelium tolak, Eclipta erecta var. diffusa, Eclipta alba f. erecta, Ridan alba, Verbesina spicata, Eclipta erecta, Eclipta linearis, Eclipta pumila, Eclipta alba, Anthemis cotula subsp. lithuanica, Buphthalmum diffusum, Eclipta alba f. prostrata, Eclipta flexuosa, Acmella lanceolata, Anthemis variabilis, Clipteria dichotoma, Ceratocephalus wedeliodes, Eclipta prostrata var. dixitii, Ecliptica alba var. erecta, Eclipta alba var. erecta, Eclipta procumbens var. patula, Eclipta tinctoria, Eclipta nutans, Verbesina alba, Eclipta spicata, Verbesina conyzoides, Eclipta marginata

False Daisy (English) Trailing Eclipta (English) Bhringraj (Hindi) Mo Han Lian (Chinese (Pinyin)) 墨旱莲 (Chinese)

☯ TCM Properties

Category: tonifying

Temperature: cold

Taste: sweet, sour

Meridians: liver, kidney

Functions:

Nourishes Liver and Kidney Yin; Cools the Blood and stops bleeding; Darkens the hair and strengthens the teeth; Clears Heat from the Blood Level

Western Herbalism Properties

Actions:

hepaticanti-inflammatoryantioxidanttonicastringent

Gallery

Botanical Description

Eclipta prostrata is an annual herb in the daisy family (Asteraceae), growing 10-60 cm tall, erect or spreading. Stems are stiff, cylindrical, and covered in rough hairs. Leaves are opposite, sessile, lanceolate to elliptic, 2-8 cm long, with rough surfaces and entire or slightly toothed margins. The small white flower heads are borne on long peduncles in the leaf axils. Florets include both ray and disc florets. When stems or leaves are broken, a black juice is produced that turns dark on exposure to air (characteristic of this species).

Habitat:

Moist and wet habitats including rice paddies, stream banks, roadsides, and disturbed areas; pantropical and subtropical weed found throughout Asia, Africa, the Americas, and Australia.

Native Region: Alabama, Argentina Northeast, Argentina Northwest, Arizona, Arkansas, Bahamas, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil North, Brazil Northeast, Brazil South, Brazil Southeast, Brazil West-Central, California, Chile Central, Chile North, Chile South, Colombia, Connecticut, Costa Rica, Cuba, Delaware, District of Columbia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Florida, French Guiana, Georgia, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Masachusettes, Mexico Central, Mexico Gulf, Mexico Northeast, Mexico Northwest, Mexico Southeast, Mexico Southwest, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Nicaragua, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Ontario, Panamá, Paraguay, Pennsylvania, Peru, Puerto Rico, Rhode I., South Carolina, South Dakota, Suriname, Tennessee, Texas, Trinidad-Tobago, Uruguay, Venezuela, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin

Conservation Notes:

Eclipta prostrata is an extremely common pantropical weed. It is found on all tropical continents and many subtropical regions. No conservation concerns.

Cultural & Historical Context

Traditional Chinese Uses

Mo Han Lian (eclipta herb, false daisy) is a cool, sweet-sour herb used to nourish Liver and Kidney Yin and cool the Blood to stop bleeding. It is applied for patterns of Liver-Kidney Yin deficiency with premature greying, tinnitus, dizziness, and lower back weakness, and its Blood-cooling properties make it valuable for bleeding conditions from Heat in the Blood — including nosebleeds, hematemesis, and uterine hemorrhage. It is commonly combined with Nu Zhen Zi (ligustrum) in classical Yin-nourishing formulas.

Chemistry & External Identifiers

Trefle ID

23742

Important Disclaimer

This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace professional medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before using any herbal remedy, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, or taking medications.

Back to Herb Database