Bidens cerunuus

The nodding two-tooth (Bidens cernuus) is a species of plant in the composite family (Asteraceae). The herbaceous plant grows as an annual. Height of growth: 20 to 90 cm. The stem is erect and often yellow-green in colour.

Leaves: opposite, stalkless, stem-clasping. The blade is lanceolate. The leaf margin is slightly coarsely toothed. The colour of the leaves is light green, their surface glabrous, or somewhat hairy on the upper side.

The solitary flower heads are about 30 mm in diameter. Especially at fading they begin to "nod". The bracts are arranged in two rows, the outer ones are deciduous and much longer than the inner ones. The tubular flowers are more golden yellow in colour. The flowering period is from July to September.

Bidens cernuus occurs in Europe, across the Balkans to North and East Asia and in North America. It is a Eurasian continental flora element.In the Alps it rises to altitudes of 800 meters. In Austria and Switzerland the species occurs scattered.

Medicinal effects (folk medicine: antibiotic effect; no proven evidence): Many species of bicuspids can be used as medicinal plants. Particularly suitable medicinal plants among the bicuspids are the hairy bicuspid (Bidens pilosa) and the three-part bicuspid (Bidens tripartita). Two-tooth is best used fresh (better effectiveness than in dried form).

Two-tooth herb can be used either as a tea or as a tincture. As a tincture, two-tooth is much more effective than the tea. Therefore, tincture application is the preferred method of using two-tooth medicinally.

Tincture: To make a two-tooth tincture yourself, pour two-tooth in a screw-top jar with double grain or spirit of wine until all parts of the plant are covered, and let the mixture steep, sealed, for 2 to 6 weeks. Then strain and fill into a dark bottle. Take 10-50 drops of this tincture 1-3x/day, up to 6x/day in acute diseases.

Indication: cystitis.

Tea: The tea of the two-tooth is much less potent than a tincture, because the active ingredients of the two-tooth do not dissolve so well in water. However, you can make a two-tooth tea and drink it. To make a two-tooth tea, pour one to two teaspoons of two-tooth over a cup of boiling water and let it steep for ten minutes. Then strain and drink the two-tooth tea in small sips. Drink one to three cups of this tea daily.

Other species in the same family are: Field feltwort, Field dogwort, Field two-tooth, Alpine cat's-foot, Antennaria nordhageniana, Mountain aster, Goldenrod true, Chamomile true, Elecampane true, One-headed occupational herb, Dyer's dogwort, Field wormwood, Felting butterbur, Garden marigold, Common Yarrow, Common Mugwort, Common Coltsfoot, Common Water Vetch, Common Cattail, Common Ragwort, Scentless Chamomile, Common Sunflower, Greater Pearlwort, Jacob's Greasewort, Japanese Butterbur, Canada goldenrod, Canada cattail, Glutinous ragwort, Perennial daisy, Motherwort, Northern occupational weed, Norwegian dysentery, Oriental goutweed, Tansy, Giant goldenrod, Red butterbur, Pungent occupational weed, Narrow-leaved Arnica, Rayless Chamomile, Ray's Tooth, Beach Aster, Beach Chamomile, Marsh Yarrow, Marsh Telecreeper, Woodland Cress, Woodland Cress, Willow Plant, Willow-leaved Aster, Wormwood, Meadow Daisy, Woolly Cat's Paw.

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