Bidens alba

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Bidens alba
Starr 080601-5248 Bidens alba var. radiata.jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Asterales
Family: Asteraceae
Genus: Bidens
Species:
B. alba
Binomial name
Bidens alba
(L.) DC.
Synonyms

Coreopsis albaL.

Bidens alba, which belongs to the family Asteraceae, is most commonly known as shepherd's needles, beggarticks, Spanish needles, or butterfly needles. [1] Bidens means two- toothed, describing the two projections found at the top of the seeds, and alba refers to the white ray florets. [2] This plant is found in tropical and subtropical regions of North America, Asia, South America, and Africa, [3] situated in gardens, road sides, farm fields and disturbed sites. [4] B. alba is an annual or short-lived perennial, which is considered a weed in the United States. [2] However, B. alba leaves are edible and can be used as medicinal remedies. [1]

Contents

Description

Bidens alba is a vascular plant. It has a similar root and stem system to others in the dicot family Asteraceae. [5] After germinating, the roots progress into a tap root that grows vertically in the ground. [1] The primary tissue of the apical meristems increases the length of the plant and the secondary roots of the lateral meristems give rise to the width. B. alba grows to a height of approximately five feet. [2]

The stem of B. alba plant emerges from the taproot, yet the bent stem at the base also has the ability to grow into roots at the lower nodes. Stems are mostly hairless and green to purplish in color. [4] The vascular bundle provides nutrients throughout the plant, with the xylem transporting water from the roots and the phloem obtaining food from the leaves. [2]

Bidens alba leaves, which are simple on the opposite side and compound on the underneath, are 2–10 centimetres (1–4 in) long and 1.0–3.5 cm (381+38 in) wide. [3] The underside leaf is hairy, and has toothed edges. [4] The leaves may be lobed, depending on the species. Some have teeth and some do not; each node produces two leaves along the stem. [3]

Each flowering head of B. alba, which is small, appears in radial symmetry. [1] The flowers on this plant are depicted as daisy-like due to the larger white petals and the very small yellow flowers which are located at the end of the branches. [5] Colors of the flower-heads of Bidens alba vary depending on the subspecies; some B. alba have yellow, tubular central blossoms and others may have flower-heads with white or cream petals (1.5 cm or 58 in long); eventually they form black linear seeds, yielding approximately 1200 seeds per plant. [2]

Cultivation

Bidens alba is a fast-growing, fast-spreading weed due to its enormous number of seeds and the ability to re-grow from stems. [3] In sub-tropical to tropical conditions, B. alba can grow almost everywhere in full sun with little or no moisture. The most growth occurs in organic matter with loose soil; [1] however, they can also propagate well on sand and lime-rocks in non-irrigated habitats. The seeds are dispersed mainly by animals or humans, although some are also carried by wind and water. [4]

Uses

Bidens alba provide a nectar source for butterflies and honey-bees.

Bidens is a nutrient dense wild plant, boasting a similar nutrient profile to kale - high in fiber and proteins, carotenes, folate, and magnesium. People in South Africa, Zulus, and Indians consume the fresh or dried leaves by boiling them. [3] Young leaves of B. alba may also be eaten as a salad. Bidens alba contains saponins, so older leaves may be unpleasant to the taste and may upset the stomach. [4]

The dried leaves of the B. Alba also make a good tobacco substitute. [4]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Asteraceae</span> Large family of flowering plants

The family Asteraceae, with the original name Compositae, consists of over 32,000 known species of flowering plants in over 1,900 genera within the order Asterales. Commonly referred to as the aster, daisy, composite, or sunflower family, Compositae were first described in the year 1740. The number of species in Asteraceae is rivaled only by the Orchidaceae, and which is the larger family is unclear as the quantity of extant species in each family is unknown.

<i>Bidens</i> Genus of plants

Bidens is a genus of flowering plants in the aster family, Asteraceae. The genus include roughly 230 species which are distributed worldwide. Despite their global distribution, the systematics and taxonomy of the genus has been described as complicated and unorganized. The common names beggarticks, black jack, burr marigolds, cobbler's pegs, Spanish needles, stickseeds, tickseeds and tickseed sunflowers refer to the fruits of the plants, most of which are bristly and barbed. The generic name refers to the same character; Bidens comes from the Latin bis ("two") and dens ("tooth").

<i>Leucanthemum vulgare</i> Species of flowering plant

Leucanthemum vulgare, commonly known as the ox-eye daisy, oxeye daisy, dog daisy, marguerite and other common names, is a widespread flowering plant native to Europe and the temperate regions of Asia, and an introduced plant to North America, Australia and New Zealand.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Perennial plant</span> Plant that lives for more than two years

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Bidens frondosa is a North American species of flowering plant in the aster family, Asteraceae. It is widespread across much of Canada, the United States, and Mexico It is known in many other parts of the world as an introduced species, including Europe, Asia, Morocco, and New Zealand. Its many common names include devil's beggarticks, devil's-pitchfork, devil's bootjack, sticktights, bur marigold, pitchfork weed, tickseed sunflower, leafy beggarticks, and common beggar-ticks.

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In botany, secondary growth is the growth that results from cell division in the cambia or lateral meristems and that causes the stems and roots to thicken, while primary growth is growth that occurs as a result of cell division at the tips of stems and roots, causing them to elongate, and gives rise to primary tissue. Secondary growth occurs in most seed plants, but monocots usually lack secondary growth. If they do have secondary growth, it differs from the typical pattern of other seed plants.

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<i>Bidens pilosa</i> Species of flowering plant in the daisy family Asteraceae

Bidens pilosa is an annual species of herbaceous flowering plant in the daisy family Asteraceae. Its many common names include hitch hikers, black-jack, beggarticks, farmer's friends and Spanish needle, but most commonly referred to as cobblers pegs. It is native to the Americas but is widely distributed as an introduced species in other regions worldwide including Eurasia, Africa, Australia, South America and the Pacific Islands. In Chishona, it is called tsine.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Plant stem</span> Structural axis of a vascular plant

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Bidens alba. Ed. Linda C. Duever. FLORIDATA: 21 Nov. 2003. 27 May 2013.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Futch, Stephen H., and David W. Hall2. "Identification of Broadleaf Weeds in Citrus1". Gainesville: Horticultural Sciences Department, Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Science, University of Florida, 2002. N. 27 May 2013.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 "Bidens alba." University of Texas At Austin. Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, n.d. Native Plant. 28 May 2013.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Deane, Green. "Spanish Needles, Pitchfork Weed". Eat the Weeds and other things too, 19 Oct.2011.
  5. 1 2 David W. Hall, Vernon V. Vandiver, and Jason A. Ferrell2. "Common Beggar's-tick (Hairy Beggar's-tick), Bidens alba (L.)" DC.1. University of Florida IFAS Extension, SP37 (1991):N. Web. 25 May 2013.