Spanish Needles

Overview

Spanish needles is a cosmopolitan weed native to South and Central America, but it is now widely found in tropical and subtropical areas. It has distributed throughout Africa, Europe, Asia, America, Australia, and many islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is a common weed of cultivated lands and pastures, but also of natural and semi-natural sites.

Vernacular Names

Adjeran harenga; djaringan ketul (Indonesia), Cadillo (Columbia), Zweizahn (German), Dipmal (India), Kosendangusa (Japanese), Dadayem (Philippines), Cuc trang (Vietnamese), Kancing baju (Malaysia), Puen noksai (Thailand), Gui zhen cao (Chinese), Bident hérissé (French).

Agroecology

A pantropical weed, where it can be found at elevations up to 3,600 m. It prefers temperatures above 15 °C and below 45 °C, but is tolerant to frosts and has roots capable of withstanding and regenerating after temperatures as low as -15 °C. Succeeds in any moderately fertile moisture-retentive soil in full sun. Plants are tolerant of a pH range from 4-9 and also highly saline soils.

Morphology

• Roots - taproot white or brown.
• Stem - 30-180 cm tall, glabrous or very sparsely pubescent in upper part.
• Leaves - leaf blade either ovate to lanceolate, 30-70 × 12-18 mm, or pinnately 1-lobed, primary lobes 3-7, ovate to lanceolate.
• Flowers - white petals, centre yellow, 7–8 mm wide, usually borne singly on stalks, 1 cm long.
• Fruits - black, narrow, 5-10 mm long and bear 2-3 stout, hooked bristles.
• Seeds - black, slender, 1-1.5 cm long, ribbed, dry, one-seeded, 2–4 yellowish barbed bristles or awns at terminal end.

Cultivation

Propagation by seed, optimal emergence occured when planting seed Iess than 1 cm deep. The optimum temperature for germination is 25-30 °C.

Chemical Constituents

Flavonoids, auron, chalcone, phenolic acid, pheophythins, phytosterol, okanin glycosides, terpenes, 3,3-dimethylquercetin, kaempferol, polyacetylenes.

Traditional Medicinal Uses

• The leaves are considered to be alterative, antiinflammatory, antibacterial, carminative, styptic and vermifuge, antioxidant.
• The whole plant is antirheumatic, it is also used in enemas to treat intestinal ailments.
• It has anticancer and anti-tumor activites.
• It is widely used in traditional medicine in the treatment of a wide range of complaints, being used to soothe pain, and gastrointestinal tract.
• Eating the leaves as a vegetable in the daily diet has been observed to prevent goitre in the Philippines.
• A juice made from the leaves is used to dress wounds and ulcers.
• Taken as an infusion or decoction, or as a juice of the leaves, it is used to treat a range of digestive problems, including stomach aches, bloat, constipation, diarrhoea, and intestinal worms; as well as coughs, angina, headache, fever, diabetes, muscular pains.
• The leaf sap is used for treating burns, sores, itchy skin, and as an eyewash for itching and tired eyes.