Little ironweed (Cyanthillium cinereum)

Cyanthillium cinereum, little ironweed, is a small, wiry weed with tiny purple flower heads found on roadsides and wasteland across India. In Kerala it is sahadevi (poovamkurunnila in Malayalam), one of the ten sacred flowers of the dasapushpam worn by women during the Malayalam month of Karkidakam. It is a common weed with a respected place in Kerala tradition.

Botanical name: Cyanthillium cinereum (L.) H.Rob.
Family: Asteraceae
Tamil: Poovamkuruntal
Hindi: Sahadevi
Sanskrit: Sahadevī
Parts used: Whole herb
Habit: Ashy fleabane of waste ground
Last updated: 2026-10-26

How to recognise Little ironweed

It is an upright annual, usually knee-high, with slender, branching stems.

The leaves are oval to lance-shaped, slightly toothed, greyish beneath. Cinereum means “ash-grey”.

Tiny flower heads, purple to pinkish-mauve, grow in loose, flat clusters at the top of the stems, followed by fluffy white seed heads.

It looks a little like goatweed, Ageratum conyzoides, but its flower heads are smaller and more purple, and its leaves are alternate rather than opposite.

It flowers for most of the year, so purple heads and white fluffy seed heads are often seen on the same plant.

Traditional use of Little ironweed

Kerala tradition

Sahadevi is one of the dasapushpam, ten sacred plants collected and worn in the hair during Karkidakam, and used in rituals.

Kerala tradition

Ayurveda and folk practice

The whole plant appears in folk preparations for fever and other complaints.

Indian folk practice

Modern notes on Little ironweed

Laboratory studies of extracts report various activities. There are no good clinical trials.

It is a common weed of fields, lawns and roadsides throughout the tropics.

Little ironweed safety

Do not use it in place of medical care for fever.

Ecology and sourcing

It is native to tropical Africa and Asia and has spread throughout the tropics.

Its fluffy seeds are carried by wind, and it colonises bare ground quickly.

Small butterflies and bees visit its flowers.

Related plants

Also in Asteraceae

Questions about Little ironweed

What older names does Cyanthillium cinereum go by?

Vernonia cinerea.

What is dasapushpam?

Ten sacred flowers of Kerala tradition, including this plant.

Is Little ironweed a weed?

Yes, a very common one.

When is Little ironweed worn in Kerala?

During Karkidakam, the monsoon month of the Malayalam calendar.

Sources

Educational page about a plant. It is not medical advice, not a diagnosis, and not an offer to sell. Traditional use is historical. If you need care, ask a licensed clinician. Questions: hello@meevamed.com.