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Project Noah Nature School
Bidens frondosa
Leaves are arranged oppositely along the stem and occur on petioles. Leaves are divided into 3 to 5 leaflets that are lanceolate in outline and have toothed margins. Leaflets may have a few short hairs. Stems are erect, branching in the upper portions, reaching as much as 3 1/2 feet in height but more commonly around 12 inches in height. Flowers consist of inner disk flowers that are brownish in color and outer ray flowers that are yellow to orange in color. Flowers are 1 inch in width and are fairly inconspicuous. Fruit is an achene that ranges from 6 to 12 mm in length and is brown in color. Achenes have 2 distinctive spines with 'barbs' that help the fruit to stick to whatever they come into contact with.
It was growing high on the beach through the limestone rubble. Earlier in the year the waterline would have been nearer, but water levels have dropped steadily in the last months.
A summer annual that may reach as much as 3 1/2 feet in height. Devils beggarticks has prickly fruit that facilitate seed dispersal by sticking to the fur and clothing of any animal or human that brushes by this weed when mature. Devils beggarticks is primarily a weed of pastures, hay fields, roadsides, landscapes, and nurseries. It is found throughout the United
Thank you chesterbperry. I've seen seeds from it stuck in my dog's hair, but never pinned down which plant they were from.
I guess this also illustrates the problem with common names. The plant that came to mind when you suggested beggarticks is Torilus arvensis, a totally different plant also known as Hedge Parsley, Beggar's Ticks, and Beggarslice.
Spotted on Oct 8, 2012
Submitted on Oct 11, 2012
