Vettukkaya thalai (Tridax procumbens)

Vettukkaya thalai, khal muriya in Hindi, is coat buttons or tridax daisy, a hairy, creeping weed from tropical America that now lines roadsides and field edges across India. Villagers crush its leaves and press the juice on fresh cuts to stop bleeding, which gives it its Tamil name, roughly wound leaf. Its small flower heads have a few creamy, three-toothed petals around a yellow centre.

Botanical name: Tridax procumbens L.
Family: Asteraceae
Tamil: Vettukkaya thalai
Hindi: Khal muriya
Sanskrit: Jayanti veda
Parts used: Leaves in folk lists
Habit: Prostrate roadside daisy with white-and-yellow heads
Last updated: 2026-10-27

How to recognise Vettukkaya thalai

It is a low, spreading perennial with hairy stems that root where they touch the ground.

The leaves are opposite, oval to lance-shaped, coarsely toothed and rough-hairy.

The flower heads sit alone on long, upright, hairy stalks.

Each head has a few creamy-white ray florets, each with three teeth at the tip, around a yellow disc.

The seeds carry a feathery crown that helps them blow away.

Traditional use of Vettukkaya thalai

Folk use

Leaf juice is squeezed onto fresh cuts and scrapes to stop bleeding.

Indian village practice

Farming

It is cut as fodder for goats and cattle in some areas.

Indian farm practice

Modern notes on Vettukkaya thalai

Laboratory and animal studies report that leaf extracts speed wound healing.

There are no reliable clinical trials in people.

It is a common weed of crops and lawns and its pollen can trigger allergies.

Vettukkaya thalai safety

Wash any wound with clean water first; a plant paste can carry dirt and infection. Deep or bleeding wounds need medical care.

Ecology and sourcing

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

Butterflies and bees visit its flowers.

Its wind-blown seeds colonise bare ground quickly.

Related plants

Also in Asteraceae

Questions about Vettukkaya thalai

Why is Vettukkaya thalai called coat buttons?

Its small flower heads look like buttons.

Is Vettukkaya thalai used for cuts?

Yes, traditionally as leaf juice.

Is Vettukkaya thalai native to India?

No. It comes from tropical America.

Is Vettukkaya thalai a weed?

Yes, a common one.

How do I recognise Vettukkaya thalai?

Look for creamy three-toothed petals around a yellow centre.

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.