Botany
Sapin-sapin is an erect or ascending herb. Stems are often prostrate and rooting below, about 20 to 50 cm long and sparingly hairy or nearly smooth. Leaves are thin, ovate, 5 to 10 cm long, entire as to margin or nearly so, pointed at the tip, and widened at the base. Flowers are small, white, and borne in spikelike, terminal inflorescences, occurring mostly in pairs, each pair subtended by a leaflike, ovate, persistent, 1- to 1.5 cm long bract and two smaller brancteoles. Calyx is 4 to 5 mm long, hairy, and divided into 5 linear lobes. Corolla is tubular, hairy, slightly curved, about 1.3 cm long, and slightly exserted from the bracts. Capsule is ovoid, somewhat compressed and about 6 mm long.

Distribution
Common in waste places, in open thickets, on and about old walls, in and around towns at low altitudes throughout the Philippines.
Introduced from Mexico.

Parts used
Entire plant, leaves.

Uses
Folkloric
Entire plant in decoction is used as an antiblenorrhagic.
Pounded leaves used as vulnerary.

Availability
Wild-crafted.