Glossogyne bidens has not earned fame among the common people of India though for its medicinal properties it is hugely used in medicinal science. This plant is found in the western and northern parts of India basically in the plains of Punjab to Bengal and southwards through peninsular India. Not only in India, this plant is vastly used around the world.
Glossogyne bidens is a perennial glabrous herb with numerous stems arising from a spindle shaped root. Basal leaves are 5cm to 15 cm long including petiole and are divided into 3 to 7 linear lanceolate segments that are 0.5 cm to 3 cm long and 1mm to 3.5 mm broad and are acute at apex. The cauline leaves are similar, smaller, uppermost simple and scale like. Flowers are yellow, borne in heads (capitula) and the ligules are broadly ovate. The disc flower corollas carry four lobes and are 2.5mm to 2.8 mm long. Fruits are dark brown or blackish tinged, linear oblong, 6 mm to 7 mm long; both surfaces are carrying five ribs. The awns are divergent, brown and 2mm to 3 mm long.
The Santhalis and Paharia of eastern Bihar, use the extract from the whole plant is given to eject intestinal worms. The Oraons use the roots to relieve toothache. A formulation of the root is reportedly used to treat snakebites and scorpion stings.
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