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bur-marigold, smooth beggar-ticks, smooth beggartick

bident penché, bur-marigold, nodding beggar-ticks, nodding beggars-ticks, nodding beggartick, nodding bur-marigold

Habit Annuals (sometimes persisting), (10–)20–60(–120+) cm. Annuals, (2–)20–100(–400+) cm (stems sometimes rooting at proximal nodes).
Leaves

(sometimes in 3s or 4s) sessile;

blades obovate or elliptic to lanceolate or linear, (20–)50–100(–160+) × (5–)10–25(–40+) mm, bases cuneate to rounded, margins usually coarsely dentate to serrate, sometimes ciliate, apices acute to acuminate, faces glabrous.

(rarely in 3s) sessile;

blades lance-ovate or oblanceolate to lanceolate or linear, 40–100(–200+) × (2–)5–25(–45+) mm, bases cuneate to rounded, margins usually coarsely dentate to serrate, sometimes entire, sometimes ciliate, apices acute to acuminate, faces glabrous.

Peduncles

(10–)20–60 mm.

10–40(–100+) mm.

Involucres

turbinate to hemispheric or broader, (4–)6–8(–10+) × 8–12+ mm.

± hemispheric or broader, (3–)6–10 × (8–)12–20+ mm.

Ray florets

usually 7–8, rarely 0;

laminae orange-yellow, (10–)15–25(–30) mm.

usually 6–8, sometimes 0;

laminae orange-yellow, 2–15(–18) mm.

Disc florets

(25–)60–100(–150+);

corollas yellow to orange-yellow, 3–6.5 mm.

(10–)40–100(–150+);

corollas orange-yellow, 3–4 mm.

Phyllaries

8–12, ovate or obovate to lance-oblong, (4–)6–8(–10+) mm (tips often orange to purplish, as are tips of paleae).

6–8+, ovate or lance-ovate to lanceolate, 2–10 mm.

Calyculi

of 5–7(–9+) erect or spreading to reflexed, oblanceolate or lanceolate to linear, often foliaceous bractlets or bracts (6–)10–12(–20+) mm, margins usually ciliate, abaxial faces glabrous or bases hispidulous.

of (3–)5–8(–10) spreading to reflexed, oblong to lance-linear, often ± foliaceous bractlets or bracts (3–)8–12(–25+) mm, margins usually ciliate, abaxial faces usually glabrous, bases sometimes hispidulous.

Heads

(erect at flowering, sometimes nodding in fruit) borne singly or in open, ± corymbiform arrays.

(erect or nodding at flowering, usually nodding in fruit) borne singly or in open, ± corymbiform arrays.

Cypselae

blackish, red-brown, or stramineous, obcompressed, flattened or unequally 3–4-angled, ± cuneate, outer 6–8 mm, inner 8–10 mm, margins retrorsely ciliate or barbed, apices ± truncate to convex, faces ± 1-nerved, ± striate, glabrous;

pappi of 2–4 ± erect, retrorsely barbed awns 3–5 mm.

blackish or brown, usually ± flattened, sometimes ± 4-angled, ± cuneate, outer (3–)5–6+ mm, inner 4–8 mm, margins (± thickened or winged) retrorsely ciliate, apices ± truncate to convex, faces ± striate, glabrous or tuberculo-strigillose;

pappi of (2–)4, ± erect, retrorsely barbed awns (1–)2–4 mm.

2n

= 22, 24.

= 24, 48.

Bidens laevis

Bidens cernua

Phenology Flowering Aug–Oct(–Dec). Flowering late (Jul–)Aug–Sep(–Oct).
Habitat Meadows, marshes, and margins of pools, streams, estuaries Swamps, marshes, peat and sedge bogs, flood plains
Elevation 0–2800 m (0–9200 ft) 0–2300 m (0–7500 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
AL; AR; AZ; CA; CO; CT; DC; DE; FL; GA; IN; KY; LA; MA; MD; ME; MO; MS; NC; NH; NJ; NM; NV; NY; OH; PA; RI; SC; TN; TX; VA; WV; Mexico; Central America; South America [Introduced Pacific Islands (Hawaii)]
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AK; AL; AR; AZ; CA; CO; CT; DC; DE; GA; IA; ID; IL; IN; KS; KY; LA; MA; ME; MI; MN; MO; MT; NC; NE; NH; NJ; NM; NV; NY; OH; OK; OR; PA; RI; SD; TN; TX; UT; VA; VT; WA; WI; WV; WY; AB; BC; MB; NB; NS; NT; ON; PE; QC; SK; YT; Europe; Asia
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Bidens laevis and B. cernua are similar in gross appearance; specimens of one are sometimes misidentified as the other. Perhaps they represent extremes of a single species.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Bidens cernua is used medicinally to treat urinary-tract infections.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Source FNA vol. 21, p. 215. FNA vol. 21, p. 215.
Parent taxa Asteraceae > tribe Heliantheae > subtribe Coreopsidinae > Bidens Asteraceae > tribe Heliantheae > subtribe Coreopsidinae > Bidens
Sibling taxa
B. amplissima, B. aristosa, B. aurea, B. beckii, B. bidentoides, B. bigelovii, B. bipinnata, B. cernua, B. connata, B. discoidea, B. eatonii, B. frondosa, B. heterodoxa, B. heterosperma, B. hyperborea, B. lemmonii, B. leptocephala, B. mitis, B. pilosa, B. polylepis, B. tenuisecta, B. trichosperma, B. tripartita, B. vulgata
B. amplissima, B. aristosa, B. aurea, B. beckii, B. bidentoides, B. bigelovii, B. bipinnata, B. connata, B. discoidea, B. eatonii, B. frondosa, B. heterodoxa, B. heterosperma, B. hyperborea, B. laevis, B. lemmonii, B. leptocephala, B. mitis, B. pilosa, B. polylepis, B. tenuisecta, B. trichosperma, B. tripartita, B. vulgata
Synonyms Helianthus laevis, B. chrysanthemoides, B. helianthoides, B. nashii, B. quadriaristata B. cernua var. elliptica, B. cernua var. integra, B. cernua var. minima, B. cernua var. oligodonta, B. cernua var. radiata, B. filamentosa, B. glaucescens, B. gracilenta, B. minima, B. prionophylla
Name authority (Linnaeus) Britton: Prelim. Cat., 29. (1888) Linnaeus: Sp. Pl. 2: 832. (1753)
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