Asteraceae FAMILY

Bidens bipinnata

Edibility

2/5

Medicinal

2/5

Safety & Hazards

None known

Botanical Description

Bidens bipinnata is an erect, annual plant usually growing up to 150cm tall, occasionally to 250cm. It has a 4-angled stem and is sometimes densely branched[ 299 Title Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa. Publication Author Website http://www.prota.org Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa. ]. The plant is sometimes harvested from the wild for local use as a food and medicine. It is sometimes grown as an ornamental[ 299 Title Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa. Publication Author Website http://www.prota.org Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa. ]. The seeds have bristles that stick to the fur of passing animals or the clothes of humans, and are widely dispersed in this way[ 299 Title Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa. Publication Author Website http://www.prota.org Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa. ]. The plant has spread as a weed to most areas of the world[ 305 Title Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk Publication Author Website http://www.hear.org/pier/scientificnames/index.html Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description A very good website detailing weed species that have been introduced into the Pacific Islands. ].

Habitat & Origin

Origintemperate; tropical

Native RangeProbably originally native to eastern Asia, now spread widely through the temperate and tropical zones

HabitatRocky woods, roadsides and waste places, often in sandy soils, Florida to Mexico, north to Massachusetts and New York[ 43 Title Gray's Manual of Botany.Eighth Edition Publication Author Fernald. M. L. Publisher American Book Co.; New York Year 1950 ISBN 0442222505 Description A bit dated but a good and concise flora of the eastern part of N. America. ]. Fields, forests, disturbed, wettish sites; at elevations from 10 - 1,800 metres[ 270 Title Flora of N. America Publication Author Website http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/fna/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An on-line version of the flora with an excellent description of the plant including a brief mention of plant uses. ].