Hairy beggarticks (Bidens pilosa)

Ketul or hairy beggarticks (Bidens pilosa) is a species of plant in the Asteraceae, herbaceous erect, branched, up to 1 meter high, stems rectangular, glabrous or hairy, often reddish in color, growing in forests, agricultural land and roadsides.

B. pilosa has leaves sitting opposite, whole or pinnately sharing in 2-3 items and stalks up to 6.5 cm long. The leaves are oval, elongated, pointed tip, 1-12 cm long, 0.5-5.5 cm wide, serrated edges, glabrous or slightly hairy.



The inflorescences are in lobes that gather at the terminal or in the leaf axils. The hump is 5-7 mm long, 7-8 mm in diameter, contains 20-40 clustered flowers and stalks up to 9 cm long.

Peripheral flowers are 5-7 items, short tubed crown and broad oblong or elliptical tongue, 5-8 mm long and yellow or creamy white. The crown is a tubular disc, 5 pinnate and yellow in color.

Fruit hard, slender elongated, 0.5-1.3 cm, dark brown when ripe with 2-3 needle-like hooks and prickly at the end. The fruit is attached to the hair or body of an animal for dispersal.

Hairy beggarticks like moist soil and full sun at elevations up to 2300 meters. Flowering throughout the year and within a week producing fruit with 35-60% of seeds will germinate. Seeds stored for 3-5 years can still germinate 80%.

The leaves are used in traditional medicine to treat coughs, angina, headaches, fever, diabetes, constipation, diarrhea, intestinal worms, stomach pain, toothache, poisoning, aches, itching and rheumatic pain.

TAXON

Kingdom: Plantae
Phylum: Tracheophyta
Subphylum: Angiospermae
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Asterales
Family: Asteraceae
Subfamily: Asteroideae
Tribe: Coreopsideae
Genus: Bidens L. in Sp. Pl.: 831 (1753)
Species: Bidens pilosa L. in Sp. Pl.: 832 (1753)
Variety: Bidens pilosa var. minor, Bidens pilosa var. pilosa

HOMOTYPIC SYNONYMS

Bidens leucanthema var. pilosa (L.) Griseb. in Cat. Pl. Cub.: 155 (1866)
Bidens pilosa subvar. discoidea Pit. in Iles Canaries: 226 (1909)
Bidens pilosa f. discoidea Sch.Bip. in P.B.Webb & S.Berthelot, Hist. Nat. Iles Canaries 3(2; 2): 242 (1844)
Bidens pilosa var. discoidea J.A.Schmidt in Beitr. Fl. Cap Verd. Ins.: 197 (1852)
Ceratocephalus pilosus (L.) Rich. in F.Marthe, Cat. Pl. Jard. Méd. Paris: 91 (1801)
Cosmea pilosa (L.) Spreng. in Syst. Veg., ed. 16. 3: 615 (1826)
Kerneria pilosa (L.) Lowe in Man. Fl. Madeira 1: 474 (1868)
Kerneria pilosa var. discoidea Lowe (1868)
Kerneria tetragona Moench in Methodus: 595 (1794)

HETEROTYPIC SYNONYMS
Bidens abadiae DC. in Prodr. 5: 601 (1836)
Bidens abadiae var. pilosoides Sherff in Bot. Gaz. 81: 40 (1926)
Bidens abadiae var. typica Sherff in Brittonia 6: 340 (1948)
Bidens adhaerescens Vell. in Fl. Flumin.: 348 (1829)
Bidens africana Klatt in Bull. Herb. Boissier 4: 464 (1896)
Bidens alausensis Kunth in F.W.H.A.Humboldt, A.J.A.Bonpland & K.S.Kunth, Nov. Gen. Sp., ed. fol., 4: 184 (1818)
Bidens arenaria Gand. in Fl. Lyon.: 122 (1875)
Bidens aurantiaca Colenso in Trans. & Proc. New Zealand Inst. 27: 388 (1894 publ. 1895)
Bidens barrancae M.E.Jones in Contr. W. Bot. 18: 82 (1933)
Bidens bimucronata Turcz. in Bull. Soc. Imp. Naturalistes Moscou 24(I): 184 (1851)
Bidens bipinnata Hook. & Arn. in Bot. Beechey Voy.: 30 (1830)
Bidens californica DC. (1836)
Bidens caracasana DC. (1836)
Bidens chilensis DC. (1836)
Bidens chilensis var. apiifolia DC. (1836)
Bidens ciliata Hoffmanns. ex Fisch. & C.A.Mey. in Index Seminum (LE, Petropolitanus) 6: 46 (1840)
Bidens decussata Pav. ex Steud. in Nomencl. Bot., ed. 2, 1: 202 (1840)
Bidens hirsuta Nutt. in Trans. Amer. Philos. Soc., n.s., 7: 369 (1841)
Bidens hirta Jord. ex Gren. & Godr. in Fl. France Corse 2: 168 (1850)
Bidens hispida Kunth (1818)
Bidens leucanthema var. sundaica (Blume) Hassk. in Cat. Hort. Bot. Bogor.: 100 (1844)
Bidens montaubani Phil. in Anales Mus. Nac. Santiago de Chile 2(Bot. 8): 49 (1891)
Bidens ododrata Cav. in Icon. 1: 9 (1791)
Bidens odorata Cav. (1791)
Bidens odorata var. calcicola (Greenm.) R.E.Ballard in Amer. J. Bot. 73: 1462 (1986)
Bidens orendainae M.E.Jones (1933)
Bidens paleacea Vis. in Nuovi Saggi Imp. Regia Accad. Sci. Padova 5: 266 (1840)
Bidens pilosa f. alausensis Sherff (1948)
Bidens pilosa var. alausesis (Kunth) Sherff (1926)
Bidens pilosa var. apiifolia Sherff in Bot. Gaz. 85: 1 (1928)
Bidens pilosa f. bimucronata Sherff (1948)
Bidens pilosa var. bimucronata O.E.Schulz in Symb. Antill. 7: 138 (1911)
Bidens pilosa f. bipinnata Kuntze in Revis. Gen. Pl. 1: 322 (1891)
Bidens pilosa var. brevifoliata Hieron. in Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 29: 48 (1900)
Bidens pilosa var. calcicola (Greenm.) Sherff in Bot. Gaz. 80: 377 (1925)
Bidens pilosa f. calcicola (Greenm.) Sherff (1948)
Bidens pilosa f. decomposita Kuntze (1891)
Bidens pilosa f. dissecta Sherff (1925)
Bidens pilosa f. dondiifolia Sherff in Bot. Gaz. 97: 607 (1936)
Bidens pilosa var. dubia (Cass.) O.E.Schulz (1911)
Bidens pilosa f. indivisa Sherff in Bot. Gaz. 88: 297 (1929)
Bidens pilosa f. indivisa Kayama in J. Phytogeogr. Taxon. 52: 88 (2004)
Bidens pilosa var. kraussii Sch.Bip. in Flora 27: 673 (1844)
Bidens pilosa f. minor (Blume) Sherff (1948)
Bidens pilosa var. minor (Blume) Sherff (1925)
Bidens pilosa f. monophylla Sherff (1948)
Bidens pilosa f. odorata Sherff (1926)
Bidens pilosa f. pilosior Kuntze (1891)
Bidens pilosa f. pinnata Kuntze (1891)
Bidens pilosa f. scandicina Sherff (1926)
Bidens pilosa f. simplex Sherff in Bot. Leafl. 8: 22 (1953)
Bidens pilosa f. subbiternata Kuntze (1891)
Bidens pilosa var. subbiternata Kuntze (1891)
Bidens pilosa f. subsimplicifolia Kuntze (1891)
Bidens pilosa f. ternata Kuntze (1891)
Bidens pilosa f. triaristata Sherff (1953)
Bidens pilosa var. typica Domin in Biblioth. Bot. 22: 1235 (1930)
Bidens pilosa f. umbrosa Sherff in Bot. Gaz. 90: 394 (1930)
Bidens pinnata Noronha in Verh. Batav. Genootsch. Kunsten 5(4): 8 (1790)
Bidens reflexa Link in Enum. Hort. Berol. Alt. 2: 306 (1822)
Bidens rosea var. calcicola Greenm. in Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 41: 264 (1905)
Bidens scandicina Kunth (1818)
Bidens striata Schott ex Sweet in Brit. Fl. Gard. 3: t. 237 (1827)
Bidens sundaica Blume in Bijdr. Fl. Ned. Ind.: 913 (1826)
Bidens sundaica var. minor Blume (1826)
Bidens taquetii H.Lév. & Vaniot in Bull. Acad. Int. Géogr. Bot., sér. 3, 20: 3 (1910)
Bidens tripartita subsp. hirta (Jord.) Bonnier & Layens in Tabl. Syn. Pl. Vasc. France: 169 (1894)
Bidens valparadisiaca Colla in Mem. Reale Accad. Sci. Torino 38: 12 (1835)
Bidens viciosoi Pau in Bol. Soc. Aragonesa Ci. Nat. 7: 78 (1908)
Coreopsis corymbifolia Buch.-Ham. ex DC. (1836)
Coreopsis leucantha L. in Sp. Pl., ed. 2.: 1282 (1763)
Coreopsis multifida var. mutica DC. (1836)
Coreopsis odorata Lam. in Tabl. Encycl.: t. 704, f. 1 (1797)
Cosmos pinnatus Jacq. ex Steud. (1840)
Glossogyne chinensis Less. in Syn. Gen. Compos.: 212 (1832)
Kerneria dubia Cass. in G.-F.Cuvier, Dict. Sci. Nat., ed. 2. 24: 398 (1822)

PUBLICATIONS

Allan, H.A. (1961). Flora of New Zealand 1: 1-1085. Botany division, D.S.I.R., Christchurch.

Balkrishna, A. (2018). Flora of Morni Hills (Research & Possibilities): 1-581. Divya Yoga Mandir Trust.

Barooah, C. & Ahmed, I. (2014). Plant diversity of Assam. A checklist of Angiosperms and Gymnosperms: 1-599. Assam science technology and environment council, India.

Barthelat, F. (2019). La flore illustrée de Mayotte: 1-687. Biotope éditions.

Beentje, H.J. (2021). Flore du Gabon 56: 1-148. Muséum National D'Histoire Naturelle, Paris; Margraf Publishers, Weikersheim; Meise Botanic Garden.

Benedi, C. & al. (eds.) in Castroviejo, S. & al. (eds.) (2019). Flora Iberica 16(III): 1453-2353. Real Jardín Botánico, CSIC, Madrid.

Caminho, J., Mutemba, L., Matusse, E., Osborne, J., Wursten, B., Burrows, J., Cianciullo, S., Malatesta, L. & Attorre, F. (2022). An updated checklist of Mozambique’s vascular plants. PhytoKeys 189: 61-80.

Chadde, S.W. (2019). Wisconsin Flora ed. 2: 1-818. Steve W. Chadde. Dar, G.H. & Govaerts, R.H.A. (2025). Flora of Kashmir Himalaya: Sind Valley 2: 607-1262. Bishen Singh Mahendra Pal Singh, Dehradun, India.

Florence, J., Waldren, S. & Chepstow-Lusty, A.J. (1995). The flora of the Pitcairn islands: a review. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society 56: 79-119.

Ghafoor, A. & al. (2021). Flora of Pakistan 224: 1-310. Department of Botany, University of Karachi, Karachi.

Ghazanfar, S.A. (1992). An Annotated Catalogue of the Vascular Plants of Oman and their Vernacular names. Scripta Botanica Belgica 2: 1-153.

Gosline, G., Bidault, E., van der Burgt, X., Cahen, D., Challen, G., Condé, N., Couch, C., Couvreur, T.L.P., Dagallier, L.M.J., Darbyshire, I., Dawson, S., Doré, T.S., Goyder, D., Grall, A., Haba, P., Haba, P., Harris, D., Hind, D.J.N., Jongkind, & al. (2023). A Taxonomically-verified and Vouchered Checklist of the Vascular Plants of the Republic of Guinea. Nature, scientific data 10, Article number: 327: [1]-[12].

Hassler, M. & Muer, T. (2022). Flora Germanica: alle Farn- und Blütenpflanzen Deutschlands in Text und Bild 2: 865-1712. Verlag Regionalkultur, Uberstadt-Weiher.

Kiew, R. & al. (eds.) (2021). Malayan Forest Records 49: 1-403.

Knapp, W.M. & Naczi, R.F.C. (2021). Vascular plants of Maryland, USA. A comprehensive account of the state's botanical diversity. Smithsonian Contributions to Botany 113: 1-151.

Koyama, H., Bunwong, S., Pornpongrungrueng, P. & Hind, D.J.N. (2016). Flora of Thailand 13(2): 143-428. The Forest Herbarium, Royal Forest Department.

Kozhevnikov, A.E., Kozhevnikov, Z.V., Kwak, M. & Lee, B.Y. (2019). Illustrated flora of the Primorsky Territory, Russian Far East: 1-1124. National institute of biological resources.

Liogier, A.H. (1996). Flora de la Española 8: 1-588. Instituto Tecnológico de Santo Domingo.

Lizarazu, M.A., Beck, S.G., Fuentes, A. & Freire, S.E. (2024). A revision of Bidens (Asteraceae: Coreopsideae) from Bolivia. Annals from the Missouri Botanical Garden 109: 163-207. MBG press.

Mao, A.A. & Dash, S.S. (2020). Flowering Plants of India an Annotated Checklist (Dicotyledons) 1: 1-970. Botanical Survey of India.

Mirek, Z., Piękoś-Mirkowa, H., Zając, A. & Zając, M (2020). Vascular plants of Poland an annotated checklist: 1-526. W. Szafer institute of botany, Polish academy of sciences, Krakow, Poland.

Muer, T., Sauerbier, H. & Cabrara Calixto, F. (2020). Die Farn- und Blütenpflanzen Madeiras: 1-792. Verlag und Versandbuchhandlung Andreas Kleinsteuber.

Plunkett, G.M., Ranker, T.A., Sam, C. & Balick, M.J. (2022). Towards a checklist of the vascular flora of Vanuatu. Candollea 77: 105-118.

Powell, A.M. & Worthington, R.D. (2018). Flowering plants of Trans-Pecos Texas and adjacent areas: 1-1444. BRIT Press.

Prakash, L. & Balasubramanian, P. (2018). Invasive alien flora of Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve in Southern Eastern Ghats, India. Indian Forester 144: 857-862.

Pruski, J.F. (ed.) (2018). Flora Mesoamericana 5(2): 1-608. Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, México, D.F.

Rajbhandari, K.R., Rai, S.K. & Chhetri, R. (2024). A Handbook of the Flowering Plants of Nepal 5: 1-432. Department of Plant Resources, Thapathali, Kathmandu, Nepal.

Sarder, N.U. & Hassan, M.A. (eds.) (2018). Vascular flora of Chittagong and the Chittagong Hill Tracts 3: 1-978. Bangladesh National Herbarium, Dhaka.

Schäfer, H. (2021). Flora of the Azores a field guide: 1-445. Margraf Publishers GmbH.

Stace, C. (2019). New Flora of the British Isles ed. 4: 1-1266. C & M Floristics.

Turner, I.M. (1995). A catalogue of the Vascular Plants of Malaya. Gardens' Bulletin Singapore 47(1): 1-346.

Whistler, W.A. (2022). Flora of Samoa Flowering Plants: 1-930. National Tropical Botanicl Garden. Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History.

VERNACULAR NAME

Adi: Tanggom oying
Afrikaans: Duiwelskerwel, Gewone knapsekerel, Kaapsekerel, Ouwewenaar, Tantgesieseblommetjie, Wedevrouens, Weduvrouens
Antioquia: Cadillo
Argentina: Amor seco
Asturian: Cadielhu
Australia: Cobbler's pegs
Austria: Behaarter Zweizahn
Bengali: কুমরা Kumarā
Botswana Namibië: seTlhabakolobê
Botswana: moÔnyana, muChize, seLoka, siNa, mMônyane, moKolonyane, moKwelenyane
Bunun Susuluk
Burmese: ဘလက်ဂျက်
Chinese (simplified): 鬼针草
Chinese (traditional): 咸豐草 - 鬼針草
Colombia: Cadillo, Chipaca
Cundinamarca: Masiquía
Czech: Dvouzubec chlupatý
Danish: Håret Brøndsel
English: Black-jack, hairy Beggarticks, Blackjack, New Zealand cow-itch, Hairy beggar-ticks, Cobbler's pegs, Cobbler's peg, Cobblers' Pegs, Common Black Jack, Widowers
Estonian: Karvane ruse
Finnish: Karvarusokki
French: Bident poilu
German: Behaarter Zweizahn
Gujarati: Phutium
Hebrew: דו-שן שעיר
Hindi: कुमरा - कुमुर - कुरेई Kumara, Kumur, Kurei
Indonesian: Ketul, Ajeran
Japanese: コセンダングサ - 広義
Java: Ketul, Petul, Ketulan, Ketul kebo, Ketul sapi, Jaringan, Caringan, Ajeran
Khmer: ប៊្លេក ជែក
Korean: 울산도깨비바늘
Lao: ແບລັກແຈັກ
Madura: Lanci thuwa, Lancing thuwa, Cing-lancingan
Malayalam: Kithachedi, Snehakoora
Manipuri: Hameng sampakpi
Maori: Kamu

Aryo Bandoro
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