Bidens pilosa L. (redirected from: Bidens odorata var. calcicola)
Family: Asteraceae
[Bidens alba (L.) Dc.,  more...]
Bidens pilosa image

Annuals [perennials], (10-)30-60(-180+)[-250] cm. Leaves: petioles 10-30(-70) mm; blades either ovate to lanceolate, 30-70(-120) × 12-18(-45) mm, or 1-pinnately lobed, primary lobes 3-7, ovate to lanceolate [linear], (10-)25-80+ × (5-)10-40+ mm [blades 2(-3)-pinnatisect], bases truncate to cuneate, ultimate margins serrate or entire, usually ciliate, apices acute to attenuate, faces pilosulous to sparsely hirtellous or glabrate. Heads usually borne singly, sometimes in open, ± corymbiform arrays. Peduncles 10-20(-90) mm. Calyculi (6-)7-9(-13) ± appressed, spatulate to linear bractlets (3-)4-5 mm, margins ciliate, abaxial faces usually hispidulous to puberulent. Involucres turbinate to campanulate, 5-6 × (6-)7-8 mm. Phyllaries (7-)8-9(-13), lanceolate to oblanceolate, 4-6 mm. Ray florets 0 or (3-)5-8+; laminae whitish to pinkish [yellowish], 2-3 or 7-15+ mm. Disc florets 20-40(-80+); corollas yellowish, (2-)3-5 mm. Cypselae: outer red-brown, ± flat, linear to narrowly cuneate, (3-)4-5+ mm, margins antrorsely hispidulous, apices ± truncate or somewhat attenuate, faces obscurely 2-grooved, sometimes tuberculate-hispidulous; inner blackish, ± equally 4-angled, linear-fusiform, 7-16 mm, margins antrorsely hispidulous, apices ± attenuate, faces 2-grooved, tuberculate-hispidulous to sparsely strigillose; pappi 0, or of 2-3(-5), erect to divergent, retrorsely barbed awns (0.5-)2-4 mm. 2n = 24, 36, 48, 72.

Flowering year round. Disturbed, wettish sites; 10-1900 m; Ont. Que.; Ala., Ariz., Calif., Conn., Fla., Ga., Ky., La., Md., Mass., Miss., Mo., N.Mex., N.C., Pa., S.C., Tex.; Mexico; Central America; introduced, Europe.

R. Ballard (1986) adopted a narrower circumscription of Bidens pilosa than that used here. He used: B. pilosa for plants with outer phyllaries 7-10, ray florets usually 0 (when present, laminae 2-3 mm), disc florets 35-75, pappi of 3(-5) awns 1-3 mm, and 2n = 72; B. alba for plants with outer phyllaries (8-)12(-16), ray florets 5-8 (laminae 5-16 mm), pappi of 2 awns 1-2 mm, and 2n = 48; and B. odorata for plants with outer phyllaries (6-)8(-12), ray florets 5-8 (laminae 3-18 mm), disc florets 12-61, pappi 0, or of 1-2 awns 1-3 mm, and 2n = 24.

FNA 2006, Wiggins 1964, Kearney and Peebles 1969

Duration: Annual

Nativity: Non-Native

Lifeform: Forb/Herb

General: Erect annuals, much branched 30-60 cm tall, with quadrangular stems, often sparsely pilose.

Leaves: On petioles 10-30 mm these pilose ciliate marginally, blades ovate to lanceolate, 3-7 cm long by 1.2-1.8 cm wide, or 1-pinnately lobed into 3-7 primary lobes, these ovate to lanceolate 2.5-8 cm long by 1-4 cm wide, bases truncate to cuneate, ultimate margins serrate or entire, usually ciliate, apices acute, faces pilosulous.

Flowers: Heads borne singly, sometimes in corymbiform arrays, on peduncles 10-20 mm, bracts 7-9, appressed, spatulate to linear, 4-5 mm, margins ciliate, the faces hispidulous to puberulent; involucres turbinate to campanulate 5-6 mm by 7-8 mm, phyllaries 8-9, lanceolate to oblanceolate, ray florets 0-8, whitish to pinkish yellow, 2-3 mm long by 7-15 mm wide; disc florets 20-40, corollas yellowish, 3-5 mm.

Fruits: Cypselae red brown, flat, linear to narrowly cuneate, 4-5 mm, margins antrorsely hispidulous, apices truncate, pappi 0 or with 2-3 erect to divergent, retrorsely barbed awns, 2-4 mm.

Ecology: Found in moist soil along streams, in seeps and springs from 3,500-5,500 ft (1067-1676 m); flowers in both spring and summer after sufficient moisture.

Distribution: Widespread across North America.

Notes: Distinguished by the lanceolate to ovate ultimate leaf segments, the linear cypselae, and the rays 6-15 mm long.

Ethnobotany: Unknown for this species, others in genus have many uses.

Etymology: Bidens is derived from the Latin bis, twice and dens, tooth, hence meaning 2-toothed, while pilosa is from Latin pilosus, meaning hairy.

Synonyms: Bidens odorata, Bidens pilosa var. bimucronata, Bidens pilosa var. minor, Bidens pilosa var. pilosa

Editor: SBuckley, 2010

Bidens pilosa image
Bidens pilosa image
Kai Yan, Joseph Wong  
Bidens pilosa image
Bidens pilosa image
Kai Yan, Joseph Wong  
Bidens pilosa image
Bidens pilosa image
Bidens pilosa image
Bidens pilosa image
Bidens pilosa image
Bidens pilosa image