Bidens Pilosa Nalewka
Some specimens in the west indies appear to have some achenes with three awns some with only two awns and some with a reduced third awn e g.
Bidens pilosa nalewka. Bidens pilosa also called bidens leucantha is the main species used for medicinal studies but there are a number of other varieties in the bidens genus that historical use and early studies suggest can also be used. This plant definitely gets around. Bidens pilosa is native to south america the caribbean africa and the philippines. The plant is gathered from the wild for local use as a food and medicine.
Coreopsis leucanthema linnaeus 1755. It s a tangy if not vigorous addition to salads. Fermented with rice to make sake fermented with rice to make sake range. Bidens pilosa is eaten in africa as a vegetable.
Shoots tips and young leaves are good potherbs. Pilosa with capitula without ray flowers or with short rays up to 3 mm and involucral bracts numbering 7 10. Bidens young leaves a few at a time are suitable for the salad. Radiata bidens pilosa linnaeus forma radiata schultz bipontinus in webb berthelot hist.
Alba aka bidens pilosa bye denz al bah pil oh suh also has an edible flower. Capitula with 5 8 ray flowers with well developed rays 5 16 mm long and involucral bracts numbering mostly 12 vs. General information bidens pilosa is an annual plant producing an erect much branched stem up to 100cm tall though the plant can often flower seed and then die when much smaller. Bidens pilosa is an annual species of herbaceous flowering plant in the daisy family asteraceae its many common names include 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 worldwide including eurasia africa australia south america.
Bidens pilosa is considered an invasive plant actively colonizing disturbed land. The entire plant is medicinally active including the roots.