Bidens pilosa
L.
Cobbler’s pegs, Spanish needles
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(c) Sarah Wang, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Sarah Wang
Summary
Source: WikipediaBidens pilosa is an annual species of herbaceous flowering plant in the daisy family Asteraceae. Its many common names include hitch hikers, black-jack, beggarticks, farmer's friends and Spanish needle, but most commonly referred to as cobblers pegs. It is native to the Americas but is widely distributed as an introduced species in other regions including Eurasia, Africa, Australia, South America and the Pacific Islands, and is classified as an invasive species in some regions of the world.
Description
A small annual upright herb with small black seeds in heads. It is an erect branched herb 0.2 to 1.5 m tall. The branches or stems have parallel lines or ridges. The stems are four angled. The leaves are up to 15 cm long with the upper ones much smaller. The leaves are divided into 3-5 leaflets. The end leaflet is usually larger (3 cm x 9 cm). The edges of the leaves are toothed. The flowers occur at the end of branches. They are on long stalks. The flowers are brown or yellow. The seeds are black with 2-4 projections at the top. (The seeds often stick to clothes.)
Edible Uses
Edible Parts: Leaves Shoots Edible Uses: Tea Leaves - raw or cooked. A resinous flavour. Added to salads or steamed and added to soups and stews, they can also be dried for later use.A good source of iodine. A nutritional analysis is available. Young shoot tips are used to make a tea. Edible Uses & Rating Leaves edible fresh or cooked, flowers for tea. Seeds inedible due to barbs [2-3]. Edibility rating: (4/5). Taste, Processing & Kitchen Notes: Flavor similar to lettuce with marine, resinous nuance that softens when boiled. Boiling removes bitterness; resulting greens mild, tender, and bright green. Excellent in soups, stir-fries, or with fish dishes. Tea from leaves or flowers is reddish-brown, pleasant, and earthy. Cypselae can technically yield a beverage after toasting, pounding, boiling, and filtering, though collection and processing are impractical and hazardous. Seasonality (Phenology): Grows spring to frost; flowers summer–autumn; leaves tender until late bloom [2-3]. Harvest & Processing Workflow: Harvest tender shoots and young leaves pre-flowering; boil briefly, or dry for tea. Avoid mature seeding plants [2-3]. Cultivar/Selection Notes: No formal cultivars; landraces vary regionally. Look-Alikes & Confusion Risks: Similar to B. alba and B. odorata; identified by white rays and black, four-awned seeds. Traditional / Indigenous Use Summary: Used across the tropics for wound healing, malaria, stomach upset, and inflammation. Consumed as a staple leafy vegetable in Africa, Southeast Asia, and Latin America. Overall Plant Summary: A global wild vegetable and medicinal herb, resilient, nutritious, and ecologically beneficial—proof that a “weed” can be valuable food. References More on Edible Uses Composition Figures in grams (g) or miligrams (mg) per 100g of food. Leaves (Dry weight) 295 Calories per 100g Water : 0% Protein: 24.5g; Fat: 4g; Carbohydrate: 56.4g; Fibre: 12.1g; Ash: 15.1g; Minerals - Calcium: 1721mg; Phosphorus: 273mg; Iron: 0mg; Magnesium: 0mg; Sodium: 11mg; Potassium: 267mg; Zinc: 0mg; Vitamins - A: 12mg; Thiamine (B1): 0mg; Riboflavin (B2): 0mg; Niacin: 0mg; B6: 0mg; C: 0mg; Reference: Notes:
Traditional Uses
The seeds are used in making an Igorot rice wine called "sinitsit" in the Philippines. The seeds are eaten, particularly by children (e.g. in Enga) in Papua New Guinea. The young leaves are edible cooked. They should be cooked due to saponins. The leaves are cooked in soups and stews. The young leaves can be dried for later use. Fresh they can only be stored for 3-4 days. The flowers are also used as a substitute for tea.
Medicinal Uses
Alterative Antifungal Antiinflammatory Antirheumatic Styptic A juice made from the leaves is used to dress wounds and ulcers. A decoction of the leaves is anti-inflammatory, styptic and alterative. The whole plant is antirheumatic, it is also used in enemas to treat intestinal ailments. Substances isolated from the leaves are bactericidal and fungicidal, they are used in the treatment of thrush and candida.
Known Hazards
The roots, leaves and flowers are strongly phototoxic, the achenes weakly so. Substances isolated from the leaves can kill human skin in the presence of sunlight at concentrations as low as 10ppm. Avoid ingestion of cypselae; awns cause choking risk. Leaves safe cooked. Avoid contaminated urban sites.
Distribution
It grows in tropical rainforest areas. It grows on many different soil types. It grows from near sea level to over 2000 m altitude. It suits humid locations. It needs plenty of moisture and is not drought tolerant. Very common and widely distributed from northern Luzon to southern Mindanao in the Philippines. It occurs and is widely used throughout Malawi. It can grow in arid places. In Sichuan and Yunnan.
Where It Grows
Africa, America, American Samoa, Angola, Argentina, Asia, Australia, Azores, Bahamas, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bermuda, Bhutan, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Britain, British Indian Ocean Terr., BIOT, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Canada, Canary Island, Cape Verde, Caribbean, Central Africa, Central African Republic, CAR, Central America, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Congo DR, Costa Rica, Côte d'Ivoire, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, East Africa, East Timor, Easter Island, Ecuador, Egypt, Equatorial-Guinea, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Europe, Fiji, Gabon, Gambia, Germany, Ghana, Guadeloupe, Guatemala, Guiana, Guianas, Guinea, Guinée, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Hawaii, Himalayas, Honduras, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Japan, Kenya, Kiribati, Korea, Laos, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Marquesas, Martinique, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Middle East, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Niue, Norfolk Island, North Africa, North America, Northeastern India, Oman, Pacific, Panama, Papua New Guinea, PNG, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Puerto Rico, Rotuma, Rwanda, Sahel, Sao Tome and Principe, Sao Tome and Principe, SE Asia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Sikkim, Socotra, Somalia, South Africa, Southern Africa, South America, Spain, Sri Lanka, St Helena, St Lucia, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, Tibet, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad-Tobago, Uganda, Uruguay, USA, Venezuela, Vietnam, West Africa, West Indies, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe,
Cultivation
We have very little information on this species and do not know if it will succeed outdoors in Britain, though it should be possible to grow it as a spring-sown annual. The following notes are based on the general needs of the genus. Succeeds in any moderately fertile moisture-retentive soil in full sun. Identification & Habit: Annual to 110 cm, stems angled and hairy. Leaves opposite, simple or pinnate, with 3–5 lanceolate toothed leaflets. Heads radiate, 6–15 mm rays (white or yellow), disks yellow. Involucres 5–8 mm, cup-shaped. Fruits 4-angled cypselae, straight or slightly curved, with 2–4 barbed awns. Blooms July–October. Growing Conditions: Adapted to moist, rich loam, tolerates disturbance; full sun to part shade. Zones 8–12. Habitat & Range: Originally American; now naturalized worldwide in tropical/subtropical fields, gardens, and roadsides. Size & Landscape Performance: Height 0.3–1.1 m, width ~0.5 m; quick-growing, self-seeding. Cultivation (Horticulture): Sow directly; thrives in warm, wet climates. Harvest young shoots for best flavor. Pests & Problems: Generally trouble-free; occasional leaf spots in humid areas.
Propagation
Seed - sow early spring in a greenhouse and only just cover the seed. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out in May. Alternatively, a sowing in situ in mid to late spring can be tried.
Other Uses
Pesticide. Ecology & Wildlife: Important nectar source for bees; seed food for small birds; soil stabilizer. Special Uses
Production
It grows quickly. First leaves can be harvested 6 weeks after planting. Plants can be harvested for leaves 4-6 times over a 5-7 week period. Seed are produced 8-10 weeks after planting. Yields of leaves of 2 kg per metre square are possible.
Other Information
It is a commercially cultivated vegetable. This plant is a troublesome weed in many places. It is only a very minor food in Papua New Guinea. It is both grown and eaten in Africa. It is widely used throughout Malawi and Zimbabwe. It is sold in local markets.
Notes
This plant has been used in medicine and recent studies have shown these treatments are due to chemicals effective in controlling bacteria (gram positive types) and assisting liver function. Leaves are a good source of iodine. There are about 200 Bidens species. Most are in North America.
Nutrition
| Part | Moisture | kJ | kcal | Protein | Vit A | Vit C | Iron | Zinc |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Leaves | 82 | 239 | 57 | 4.1 | — | 50 | — | — |
| Seeds | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Synonyms
Also Known As
Abulesega, Aceitilla, Aceitillo, Amor seco, Anantsinahibavy, Anyegomo, Ayegomon, Beggar's ticks, Bilodra, Black jack, Boboyo, Botongatonga, Burr marigold, Cadvolo, Chananguno, Chanonga, Chinomba, Chiseyo, Chisokono, Chisosoci, Choheke, Chuchuza, Daomeoai, Daun roten, Deumeubai, Djamwounkpi, Dong ma zhan, 'enwad, Enbureymaa, Enyikibon, Hei ni zuo ge mo, Hirikulha, Ilenjane, Inongwe, Itongatonga, Jarongan, Jerambing, Jongae, Jongee, Junqqu, Kabata, Kaella, Kakala, Kaliputi, Kalo kuro, Kamalara, Kanzota, Kapuninga, Karay, Kashisha, Katarey kuro, Keroten, Ketul, Kimana-ngasi, Kofetoga, Koheriki, Kuro, Lopalopa, Lungelima, Maina sag, Mayna arxa, Mbelembele, Mbwembwe, Mhuu, Mokolonyane, Monyana, Moonyane, Mozote, Mukkutthi, Mukongolo, Mushidzhi, Namulepo, Nat bar, Nihasha, Nsolokoto, Nyabarashana, Nyangudi, Nyanyiek-mon, Obukurra, Philungekuro, Picao-preto, Picon, Puriket, Rhobashing, Rumput juala, Saetilla, Sere, Sheng-niangbaicuo, Sine, Solokoto, Ta-sae-ut, Tanggom oying, Teretani, Thole, Trakavola, Tsetsega, Tsine, Tukchong-muk, Tungunira, Ucucuza, Umahogo, Umhlabangubo, Uqadolo, X'tiyu, Ya dong long, Za qie mo, Zouqie
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