Bidens pilosa
Encyclopedia
Bidens pilosa, commonly known as Spanish Needle, is a species
in the plant family Asteraceae
. It is an annual that grows up to 1 meter in height.
This plant is considered a weed in some tropical habitats. However, in some parts of the world it is a source of food or medicine. For example, in sub-Saharan Africa, the tender shoots and young leaves are used fresh or dried as a leaf vegetable, particularly in times of scarcity.
s. The seeds are black and contain 4-5 black burr
s which cling to livestock and humans.
, this plant is considered a medicinal herb, called xian feng cao .
is a chalcone found in Bidens pilosa (Picao preto).Almost two hundred (198) natural products have been isolated to date from B. pilosa. Polyacetylenes
and flavonoids, predominate in the phytochemistry of B. pilosa.
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
in the plant family Asteraceae
Asteraceae
The Asteraceae or Compositae , is an exceedingly large and widespread family of vascular plants. The group has more than 22,750 currently accepted species, spread across 1620 genera and 12 subfamilies...
. It is an annual that grows up to 1 meter in height.
This plant is considered a weed in some tropical habitats. However, in some parts of the world it is a source of food or medicine. For example, in sub-Saharan Africa, the tender shoots and young leaves are used fresh or dried as a leaf vegetable, particularly in times of scarcity.
Description
This plant sprouts individual flowers which are small and yellow and which usually contain 4 to 5 white petalPetal
Petals are modified leaves that surround the reproductive parts of flowers. They often are brightly colored or unusually shaped to attract pollinators. Together, all of the petals of a flower are called a corolla. Petals are usually accompanied by another set of special leaves called sepals lying...
s. The seeds are black and contain 4-5 black burr
Burr (fruit)
A bur is a seed or dry fruit in which the seeds bear hooks or teeth which attach themselves to fur or clothing of passing animals or people. The hooks or teeth can be irritants and very hard to get off of clothing, such as wool or cotton...
s which cling to livestock and humans.
Common names
This plant has many names, sometimes even in the same culture:- Afrikaans: knapsekêrel (from Kaapse kerwel, meaning "Cape Chervil"), Black Jack
- Bontoc: nguad, puriket
- English: Black Jack, broomstick, broom stuff, cobbler's pegs, devil's needles, Spanish needle
- Australian: farmers friends, pitchforks, sticky beaks
- Fijian: batimadramadra, matakaro, matua kamate, mbatikalawau
- Filipino: pisau-pisau
- French: bident hérissé, herbe d'aiguille, herbe à aiguilles, herbe villebague, piquants noirs, sornet
- Hawaiʻian: kī, kī nehe, kī pipili, nehe
- Ibatan: dadayem
- Japanese: ko-sendangusa
- KiKaonde (Zambia): sokotela
- Maori (Cook Islands): kamika tuarongo, nīroa, piripiri, piripiri kerekere, piripiri nīroa
- Niuean: kofetoga (Tongan bamboo, i.e., junk bamboo)
- Futunan: tae puaka (meaning "pig excrement")
- Pukapukan: pilipili
- Portuguese: picão preto
- Spanish: acetillo, amor seco (meaning "dry love"), arponcito, asta de cabra, bidente piloso, cacho de cabra, cadillo, hierba amarilla, masquia, mazote, papunga chipaca, pega-pega, perca, rosilla, sirvulaca
- Tahitian: piripiri (meaning "sticker")
- Taiwan: xian feng cao
- Tongan: fisi‘uli (meaning "black flower")
- Chewa: chisoso
- Tumbuka: chidokoso
- Shona: tsine
- Vietnamese: xuyến chi
Traditional uses
In traditional Chinese medicineTraditional Chinese medicine
Traditional Chinese Medicine refers to a broad range of medicine practices sharing common theoretical concepts which have been developed in China and are based on a tradition of more than 2,000 years, including various forms of herbal medicine, acupuncture, massage , exercise , and dietary therapy...
, this plant is considered a medicinal herb, called xian feng cao .
Research
The extracts of B. pilosa are potentially useful because of their ability to suppress the growth of adult T-cell leukemia cells.Phytochemicals
OkaninOkanin
Okanin is a chalconoid. It can be found in the plant Bidens pilosa .-Glycosides / Acetylations:Marein is the 4'-O-glucoside of okanin.Methylated okanin derivatives can be isolated from Bidens torta...
is a chalcone found in Bidens pilosa (Picao preto).Almost two hundred (198) natural products have been isolated to date from B. pilosa. Polyacetylenes
Polyacetylene
Polyacetylene is an organic polymer with the repeat unit n. The high electrical conductivity discovered for these polymers beginning in the 1960's accelerated interest in the use of organic compounds in microelectronics...
and flavonoids, predominate in the phytochemistry of B. pilosa.
See also
- Alternative medicineAlternative medicineAlternative medicine is any healing practice, "that does not fall within the realm of conventional medicine." It is based on historical or cultural traditions, rather than on scientific evidence....
- Chinese classic herbal formulaChinese classic herbal formulaChinese classic herbal formulas are a form of Chinese herbology, where herbs are combined for greater efficiency, compared to individual herbs. They are the basic herbal formulas that students of Traditional Chinese medicine learn...
- HerbalismHerbalismHerbalism is a traditional medicinal or folk medicine practice based on the use of plants and plant extracts. Herbalism is also known as botanical medicine, medical herbalism, herbal medicine, herbology, herblore, and phytotherapy...
- Chinese herbologyChinese herbologyChinese Herbology is the theory of Traditional Chinese herbal therapy, which accounts for the majority of treatments in Traditional Chinese medicine ....
- WikispeciesWikispeciesWikispecies is a wiki-based online project supported by the Wikimedia Foundation. Its aim is to create a comprehensive free content catalogue of all species and is directed at scientists, rather than at the general public...
External links
- PROTAbase Record display for Bidens pilosa. Plant Resources of Tropical AfricaPlant Resources of Tropical AfricaPlant Resources of Tropical Africa, known by its acronym PROTA, is an international programme concerned with making scientific information about utility plants accessible in Africa, supporting their sustainable use to reduce poverty.-Mission:...
(PROTA). Retrieved on 12 April 2010. - Bidens pilosa (PIER species info). Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk (PIER), in cooperation with the Hawaiian Ecosystems at Risk projectHawaiian Ecosystems at Risk projectThe Hawaiian Ecosystems at Risk project is a government-funded project created to provide technology, methods, and information to decision-makers, resource managers, and the general public to help support effective science-based management of harmful non-native species in Hawaii and the Pacific...
. Retrieved on 12 April 2010. - Taxonomy browser (Bidens pilosa). National Center for Biotechnology InformationNational Center for Biotechnology InformationThe National Center for Biotechnology Information is part of the United States National Library of Medicine , a branch of the National Institutes of Health. The NCBI is located in Bethesda, Maryland and was founded in 1988 through legislation sponsored by Senator Claude Pepper...
. Retrieved on 12 April 2010.