TREATMENT FROM THE JEPSON MANUAL (1993) previous taxon | next taxon
Jepson Interchange (more information)
©Copyright 1993 by the Regents of the University of California
For up-to-date information about California vascular plants, visit the Jepson eFlora.

    THIS PAGE IS NO LONGER UPDATED
    AND IS MAINTAINED FOR ARCHIVAL PURPOSES ONLY
  • Up-to-date information about California vascular plants is available from the Jepson eFlora.

ASTERACEAE

SUNFLOWER FAMILY

David J. Keil, Family Editor and author, except as specified

Annual to tree
Leaves basal or cauline, alternate to whorled, simple to compound
Inflorescence: 1° inflorescence a head, each resembling a flower, 1–many, generally arrayed in cymes, generally subtended by ± calyx-like involucre; flowers 1–many per head
Flowers bisexual, unisexual, or sterile, ± small, of several types; calyx 0 or modified into pappus of bristles, scales, or awns, which is generally persistent in fruit; corolla radial or bilateral (rarely 0), lobes generally (0)4–5; stamens 4–5, anthers generally fused into cylinder around style, often appendaged at tips, bases, or both, filaments generally free, generally attached to corolla near throat; pistil 1, ovary inferior, 1-chambered, 1-seeded, style 1, branches 2, generally hair-tufted at tip, stigmas 2, generally on inside of style branches
Fruit: achene, cylindric to ovoid, generally deciduous with pappus attached
Genera in family: ± 1300 genera, 21,000 species (largest family of dicots): worldwide. Largest family in CA. Also see tribal key to CA genera: Strother 1997 Madroño 44(1):1–28. See glossary p. 25 for illustrations of general family characteristics.

BIDENS

STICKTIGHT, SPANISH-NEEDLES, BEGGAR'S TICK

Annual, perennial herb, shrubs
Stems prostrate to erect
Leaves simple or pinnate, generally opposite, sessile or petioled
Inflorescence: heads radiate or discoid, generally few in CA; involucre cylindric to bell-shaped; phyllaries in 2 dissimilar series, outer generally ± leaf-like in texture, inner thinner, with transparent or scarious margins; receptacle chaffy; chaff scales narrow, flat
Ray flowers 0 or few; ligules yellow or white
Disk flowers generally many; corollas yellow, radial (or outermost white, bilateral)
Fruit narrowly club-shaped, thick or compressed front-to-back; pappus 0 or awns 1–several, generally barbed
Species in genus: ± 230 species: worldwide
Etymology: (Latin: 2 teeth)
Reference: [Sherff & Alexander 1955 North America Flora 2(2):70–129]

Native

B. cernua L. var. cernua

NODDING BUR-MARIGOLD

Annual
Stem 1–9 dm, erect, glabrous to short-rough-hairy
Leaves simple, sessile; bases fused around stem; blades 4–20 cm, linear-lanceolate to lanceolate, acuminate, serrate, glabrous
Inflorescence: heads radiate or discoid, erect in flower, nodding in fruit; peduncles 1–7 cm; involucre 1–2 cm diam, hemispheric; outer phyllaries 5–8, 1–3 cm, linear-lanceolate, spreading; inner phyllaries 8–10 mm, ovate-lanceolate; chaff scales 6–8 mm, yellowish
Ray flowers 0 or 6–8; ligules 8–15 mm, yellow
Disk flowers: corollas 3–4 mm, yellow
Fruit 5–7 mm, narrowly wedge-shaped, 4-angled, flat; angles thick, barbed; pappus awns generally 4, 2–3 mm
Chromosomes: 2n=24
Ecology: Freshwater wetlands
Elevation: < 2000 m.
Bioregional distribution: Klamath Ranges, North Coast Ranges, Cascade Range, n Sierra Nevada, San Francisco Bay Area, Modoc Plateau
Distribution outside California: widespread n hemisphere
Much like B. laevis
Horticultural information: TRY.

previous taxon | next taxon
bioregional map for BIDENS%20cernua%20var.%20cernua being generated
 


Retrieve Jepson Interchange Index to Plant Names entry for Bidens cernua var. cernua
Retrieve dichotomous key for Bidens
Return to treatment index page
Glossary
University & Jepson Herbaria Home Page | Copyright © by the Regents of the University of California