This is a widespread plant, which is commonly found in wet fields, lush fields as well as ditches, swamps and ponds all the way from New England to Missouri. Purplestem beggarticks can be described as a summer perennial that is 4 1/2 feet tall and branched at times.
The stems range from light between purple and green, somewhat or not, and glabrous. Most leaves are opposite, however the uppermost leaves may be alternate. Leaf blades range from approximately 2 to 6 inches long with 1/2-1/2 to one and a half inches wide.
They are oblong to lanceolate and are coarsely serrated along their edges. Lower leaves are composed of 1 or two smaller lobes on the basal side. The upper blade surfaces are glabrous medium green, while the lower blade surfaces are glowing and medium to pale green. Leaf blades are purplish or purple. The petioles measure 2 inches in length and are narrow. The terminal florets have a yellow color and are visible in August. The fruit is a wedge-shaped Achenium.
The flowerheads measure between 1/2 and 1 1/4 inches wide and comprises a variety of disk florets but usually there are there are no Ray flowers. The corolla of disk flowers is orange to yellow small, narrowly tubular and approximately 3 millimeters long. Each corolla is made up of up to 5 recurved ascending lobes that run along the upper edge. The florets of disk have eight bracts with floral designs that are yellowish brown or black and ovate , as and the glabrous. The flowers bloom from late the summer through fall, and lasts between 1 and 2 months.
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Flower
The flower center is 1/4 to 1/2 inch wide It is orange-yellow, and consists of tiny disks with either 4 or 5 or more lobes. Ray flowers are not common. The inner bracts are surrounded by the disk that are identical in size, but narrowly egg form, with a with a brownish-yellow hue. The outer leafy bracts differ in size two to three times bigger than head and narrow lance that is elliptic to spatula-shaped.
Stems and leaves
Leaves are opposite. They are mostly without lobes 1 1/2 to 4 inches , 1 1/3 – 1 1/4 inches wide Lance elliptic with serrated edges or an irregularly toothed with a sharp edge at its tip stalkless, or tapering from the base and ending with a winged stalk hairless or hairy in different degrees, especially on the outer edges.
Sometimes , lower leaves may contain one or a few deep lobes toward the base. Stems can be red or green however they tend to be purple and hence the name Purple-stem Beggarticks. Stems tend to be smooth, however fine hairs could be found.
fruits
flower heads are awash with black or brown seeds that are 1/4 to 1/3 inches long that are four-angled and slightly flattened. Most often, the top is two to four barbed awns that help to be able to attach to any object that is passing by.
Information About Purplestem Beggarticks
| Name | Purplestem beggarticks |
| Scientific Name | Bidens connata |
| Native | It is prevalent across most of Eurasia, North Africa, and North America, and naturalized in Australia and on a few Pacific Islands. |
| Common/English Name | Cockhold Herb, Spanish Needles, Beggar’s Tick, Devil’s Pitchfork, London bur-marigold |
Uses
The Dr. Brown (1857) “The root and seeds are emmenagogue and expectorant; the seeds, in powder or tincture have been used in amenorrhoea, dysmenorrhoea, and some other uterine derangements, and an infusion of the root has proved beneficial in severe cough.” It has been utilized with excellent results for the palpitation of the heart as well as for croup. In the case of the latter,
it is recommended to take a strong infusion of leaves, sweetened with honey and given with tablespoonfuls of doses every 15 minutes. until vomiting occurs is considered to be an effective cure. The leaves, when heated until they are a poultice then sprayed on the chest and throat when suffering from bronchial or laryngeal infections due to exposure to cold and are extremely beneficial.
Dose
One teaspoonful cut into small pieces or granulated 1 cup of hot water. Take a glass of water cold throughout the day, taking a big mouthful at one time. The tincture contains 5-20 drops. Bidens bipinnata (Spanish needles) or Bidens frondosa (Beggar’s tick) is a possibility each with the same medicinal properties.
Medical uses
It is used to treat bleeding, inflammation, and pain of the mucosa of the urinary tract. It is also it is also used for benign prostate hypertrophy, and for increasing the excretion of urinary acid. It also reduces the risk of developing gout attacks.
It is utilized in Chinese remedies to treat bug bites, diarrhea and snakebite.
It is used in traditional medicine for appendicitis and debility. dysuria, furunculosis hemorrhage, gravel hypertension, jaundice and Rheumatism.
Cherokee make use of the tea leaf to get rid of the worms.
Chew the leaves to soothe sore throats.
Make use of the juice for drops for your ear.
Utilize the seeds in the form of powder or tincture to treat dysmenorrhoea, amenorrhoea.
Infusions of root are beneficial for coughs that are severe.
It is useful for heart palpitations and the croup.
The leaves can be heated to create poultices and apply it on your chest and throat to prevent laryngeal and bronchial attacks due to the exposure of cold.
