Scientific name: Bidens pilosa L.

Family: Asteraceae

Synonym: Bidens alba (L.) DC., Bidens hirta Jord.

Bengali/Vernacular name: Bidenlosa.

English name: Beggar’s ticks, Farmers friend.

Description of the plant: A branched herb, hairy or glabrous. Leaves imparipinnate with a large terminal pinna, ovate to lanceolate, acuminate, and coarsely toothed. Inflorescence a capitulum, discoid to radiate, long-peduncled, involucre sparsely hairy at the base. Disc-florets yellow, many; ray-florets white to cream coloured, few. Fruits are achenes, black, long and slender, linear.

Bidens pilosa

Plant parts used: Leaf, root, seed, and whole plant.

Ethnomedicinal uses: Juice extracted from the roots of the plant is taken thrice a day (10 ml amount each time) until the malaria is cured.

Extract prepared from the plant is taken to lower blood pressure.

Decoction prepared from the leaves of the plant is taken for the treatment of cough, cold, headache, diarrhoea, dysentery, flatulence, and kidney problem.

A fresh juice is extracted from the plant is taken twice a day (25 ml amount each time) for 15 days to treat diabetes.

Decoction prepared from the plant is taken to treat jaundice, and rheumatism.

The powder or ash from the seeds of the plant is used as a local anesthetic and rubbed into cut.

Decoction prepared from the plant is advised to take for the treatment of dysmenorrhoea and irregular menstruation.

Sap from the plant is put into the ear to treat ear infection.

Extract prepared from the plant is taken to cure stomach and mouth ulcers.

A paste is made with the leaves of the plant is applied externally on the snake biting place twice a day until the poison is eliminated.

Decoction made from the herb is taken in large doses to treat arthritis.

Distribution: The species is found in Dhaka district.

Is this plant misidentified? If yes, please tell us….

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