three-lobe beggartick

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• European beggarticks
• three-lobed beggarticks
• three-parted beggarticks
• trifid burr-marigold
• Trifid Bur-Marigold
• erect-bur-marigold
• marigold-bur
• water-agrimony

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Bidens hybrida
• Bidens trifida
• Bidens tripartita subsp. bullata
• Bidens connata var. comosa
• Bidens effusa
• Bidens comosa
• Bidens fastigiata
• Bidens repens
• Bidens tripartita var. repens
• Bidens shimadae
• Bidens intermedia
• Bidens tripartita var. shimadae
• Bidens minor
• Bidens comosa var. acuta
• Bidens minuscula
• Bidens tripartita var. minima
• Bidens orientalis
• Bidens bullata
• Bidens platycephala
• Bidens tripartita var. orientalis
• Bidens pumila
• Bidens tripartita var. minor
• Bidens tripartita var. hybrida
• Bidens trifoliata
• Bidens nodiflora
• Bidens acuta
• Bidens cannabina
• Bidens tripartita subsp. comosa
• Bidens tripartita var. indivisa
• Bidens tripartita var. hebecarpa
• Bidens tripartita var. cernuifolia
• Bidens tripartita var. pumila

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, specifically within the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae. It is further classified under the order Asterales and the family Asteraceae. Finally, its taxonomic identity is defined by its placement in the genus Bidens.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a specific geographical distribution across several regions in Northern Europe. It can be found growing in the natural landscapes of Denmark. Furthermore, its presence extends to the northern territories of Finland. The species is also documented within the borders of Great Britain and Ireland. Finally, it inhabits the coastal and inland areas of Norway.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Bidens tripartita is characterized by its ability to thrive across a diverse range of environmental conditions and varied terrain. It occupies a broad elevational range, typically found at altitudes spanning from 500 m to a maximum of 2500 m AMSL. This species is highly adaptable to moisture-rich and disturbed environments, frequently establishing itself in habitats such as crop fields, meadows, and old fields. It is commonly observed in riparian and aquatic settings, including the banks of rivers and near lakes, but it also demonstrates significant resilience in drier or more transient areas like roadsides and sandy soils.

Elevational range max:

2500 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

500 m AMSL

Habitat :

crop fields, lakes, meadows: wet, old fields, rivers, roadsides, sand

Life history

The life history of Bidens tripartita is characterized by an annual lifecycle, meaning the plant completes its entire biological process of germination, growth, flowering, and seed production within a single growing season. As a therophyte, it survives unfavorable conditions by completing its life cycle and relying on seeds for persistence, avoiding the need to maintain vegetative structures through dormant periods. This plant exhibits a deciduous nature, shedding its foliage as it reaches the end of its seasonal cycle. Structurally, its classification as a therophyte defines its growth habit, ensuring it functions as a seasonal specialist that rapidly utilizes available resources to ensure reproductive success before the onset of adverse environmental changes.

Deciduousness :

deciduous

Life form :

therophyte

Lifecycle :

annual

Morphology

The morphology of Bidens tripartita is characterized by its growth form as a non-woody herb and forb. It is a terrestrial plant that functions as a self-supporting organism rather than a climber or liana, and it operates as an independent species without parasitic tendencies. In terms of stature, the plant exhibits significant variation in height, ranging from a minimum of 0.03 m to a maximum of 1.5 m, with an average plant height of approximately 0.74 m.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Growth form :

forb

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

1.5 m

Plant height mean:

0.741666666666667 m

Plant height min:

0.03 m

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiology of Bidens tripartita is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, indicating a standard carbon fixation process common to many temperate herbaceous plants. Its leaf morphology displays significant variability, with leaf lengths ranging from a minimum of 4 cm to a maximum of 20 cm, and an average leaf length of 8.5 cm. The leaf width fluctuates between 4 cm and 7 cm, contributing to a mean leaf size of approximately 24.17 cm². These structural dimensions result in a mean Specific Leaf Area (SLA) of 325.32 cm²/g, reflecting the plant's resource allocation strategy regarding leaf thickness and surface area. Furthermore, the plant is strictly non-carnivorous in its nutrient acquisition and does not function as a nitrogen fixer, relying instead on external soil nitrogen sources for its metabolic requirements.

Carnivory :

non-carnivorous

Leaf length max:

20 cm

Leaf length mean:

8.5 cm

Leaf length min:

4 cm

Leaf size mean:

24.17083 cm²

Leaf width max:

7 cm

Leaf width min:

4 cm

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Specific Leaf Area (SLA) mean:

325.32 cm²/g

Reproduction

The reproduction of Bidens tripartita is primarily sexual, characterized by bisexual flowers that facilitate the reproductive process. The flowering period typically begins in July and concludes in September, though the timing can be variable. Pollination is achieved through biotic means, specifically involving insects, with bees serving as a key pollinator. While self-fertilization is present within the species, the plant relies on these insect visitors to ensure successful fertilization. Following pollination, the plant produces indehiscent fruits categorized as achenes. These fruits vary in size, with an average length of 0.75 cm (ranging from 0.5 cm to 1.1 cm) and an average width of 0.225 cm (ranging from 0.2 cm to 0.3 cm). The seeds contained within these fruits are quite small, possessing a mean mass of approximately 0.00276 g, with individual seed masses ranging from a minimum of 0.0011 g to a maximum of 0.003081 g. Dispersal of the progeny occurs through a combination of syndromes, utilizing both anemochorous (wind) and zoochorous (animal) mechanisms to spread the seeds to new environments. Asexual reproduction is notably absent in this species.

Dehiscence :

indehiscent

Dispersal syndrome :

zoochorous

Dispersal syndrome :

anemochorous

Flowering time :

Jul

Flowering time :

Sep

Fruit length max:

1.1 cm

Fruit length mean:

0.75 cm

Fruit length min:

0.5 cm

Fruit type :

achene

Fruit width max:

0.3 cm

Fruit width mean:

0.225 cm

Fruit width min:

0.2 cm

Pollination syndrome :

insect

Pollination syndrome :

bee

Pollination syndrome :

biotic

Reproduction asexual :

absent

Reproduction sexual :

bisexual

Seed mass max:

0.003081 g

Seed mass mean:

0.00276383325 g

Seed mass min:

0.0011 g

Self fertilization :

present

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Chemicals

Bidens tripartita has 11 reported phytochemicals identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include ACETYLENE, Condensed Tannins, Coumarins, Flavonoids, Polyacetylene.

ACETYLENE

1. Revista medico-chirurgicala a Societatii de Medici si Naturalisti din Iasi

Condensed Tannins

1. Revista medico-chirurgicala a Societatii de Medici si Naturalisti din Iasi

Coumarins

1. Revista medico-chirurgicala a Societatii de Medici si Naturalisti din Iasi

Flavonoids

1. Revista medico-chirurgicala a Societatii de Medici si Naturalisti din Iasi

Polyacetylene

1. Revista medico-chirurgicala a Societatii de Medici si Naturalisti din Iasi

Proanthocyanidins

1. Revista medico-chirurgicala a Societatii de Medici si Naturalisti din Iasi

Sterols

1. Revista medico-chirurgicala a Societatii de Medici si Naturalisti din Iasi

Tannins

1. Revista medico-chirurgicala a Societatii de Medici si Naturalisti din Iasi

Triterpenes

1. Revista medico-chirurgicala a Societatii de Medici si Naturalisti din Iasi

Volatile oil

1. Revista medico-chirurgicala a Societatii de Medici si Naturalisti din Iasi

Preparations