Tridax procumbens (l.)- a pharmacognostic screening

Tridax procumbens (L.) commonly known as coat buttons or Tridax daisy, is a species of flowering plants in daisy family. It is best known as a wide spread weed and pest plant. It belongs to family compositae commonly known as 'Ghamra' and have been extensively used in Ayurvedic system of medicine for various ailments and is dispensed for 'Bhringraj' by some of the practitioners of ayurveda which is well known medicine for liver disorders. Pharmacognosy is the scientific and systematic study of the structural, physical, chemical and biological characters of crude drugs along with their history, method of cultivation, collection and preparation of the market. Present Pharmacognostic studies in T. procumbens (Asteraceae) was done by analysing the morphology, anatomy and physico-chemical studies. Microscopic and macroscopic characters of the plant were studied for the easy identification of the plant. Phytochemical screening tests are done in 2 extracts of whole plant viz methanol and acetone extracts. Methanol extracts of whole plants showed the presence of coumarins, tannins, alkaloids, quinines, flavanoids, resins, Proteins and carbohydrates. Acetone extract of whole plant shows the presence of coumarins, quinines, steroids, alkaloids, tannins, resins, protiens and carbohydrates.