Description
Synonymy- Some authors have synonomized Bidens tripartita (Swamp Beggarticks) and B. connata, but Kartesz (1994) does not. Brown and Brown (1984). Floras in the 19th and early 20th centuries (Fernald and Robinson 1908; Fernald 1950) treated B. tripartita as an adventive form of Eurasian origin found mostly near seaports. However, it has been synonomized with B. comosa, which is widely distributed and was regarded as native. Most American plants have distinctive features (B. comosa-type) 'but many are quite inseparable from representative Old-World material of B. tripartita,' (Gleason 1963).
Taxonomy
| Kingdom | Phylum | Class | Order | Family | Genus |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plantae | Magnoliophyta | Magnoliopsida | Asterales | Asteraceae | Bidens |
Synonyms
Invasion History
Chesapeake Bay Status
| First Record | Population | Range | Introduction | Residency | Source Region | Native Region | Vectors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1753 | Established | Stable | Cryptogenic | Boundary Resident | Europe | Eurasia | Shipping(Dry Ballast), Agriculture(Agricultural Weed) |
History of Spread
Bidens tripartita (Swamp Beggarticks) is native to Eurasia, and now widespread in the Northern Hemisphere. The status of this species in North America is uncertain (see 'Taxonomy' discussion above). North American plants include those with a three-lobed leaf, plants with a unlobed serrated leaf ('comosa type'), and with 2 lobes. Gleason (1963) calls it 'a cosmopolitan weed of wet waste places.' It may consist of a mix of native and introduced populations, or simply be highly variable (Gleason 1963). Bidens tripartita was reported among herbarium specimens collected in MD before 1753 (Brown et al. 1987). B. tripartita was found on ships' ballast in NY (Brown 1879). Fernald (1950) described the supposed native form (as B. comosa) as ranging from 'central ME, ND south to NC, TN, LA, NM, and UT' and the presumptive introduced B. tripartita was found from 'Gaspe County Quebec to NH and sometimes about ports.' B. tripartita was first collected in the Hudson Basin in 1927, but may have been present much earlier (Mills et al. 1997). It is found in the Great Lakes Basin but was not reported by Mills et al. (1993). Bidens tripartita is now found across North America (Natural Resources Conservation Service 1998).
Although specimens of Bidens tripartita were collected before 1753 in MD ((Brown et al. 1987), B. tripartita (including B. comosa) is not listed in early Washington-Baltimore floras (Aikin 1837; Brereton 1830; Ward 1881). It was reported as B. connata var. comosa by Holm (1896); from 'bank of the Potomac; opposite mouth of Cabin John's Run' and as B. comosa, described as common in 'swamps or wet ground' by Hitchcock and Standley (1919). The significance of this 150 year gap in records is unclear. It could represent an introduced population, or taxonomic confusion within a difficult genus. This plant is now 'infrequent, mostly on the Coastal Plain' (Brown and Brown 1984); but present in most VA counties (Harvill et al. 1992). B. tripartita was reported from 'swamps' on the VA Coastal Plain by Wass (1972) and from 'slightly brackish pond margins'; Caledon Natural Area, King George County VA (Simmons et al. 1995).
History References - Aikin 1837; Brereton 1830; Brown and Brown 1984; Brown 1879; Brown et al. 1987; Fernald 1950; Gleason 1963; Harvill et al. 1992; Hitchcock and Standley 1919; Holm 1896; Mills et al. 1993; Mills et al. 1997; Natural Resources Conservation Service 1998; Simmons et al. 1995; Ward 1881;
Invasion Comments
Probable Vector into Chesapeake Bay - Bidens spp. have two-pronged barbed seeds that stick to animal fur (especially wool) and clothing.
Ecology
Environmental Tolerances
| For Survival | For Reproduction | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum | Maximum | Minimum | Maximum | |
| Temperature (ºC) | ||||
| Salinity (‰) | 0.0 | 0.0 | ||
| Oxygen | ||||
| pH | ||||
| Salinity Range | fresh-oligo |
Age and Growth
| Male | Female | |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Adult Size (mm) | ||
| Typical Adult Size (mm) | ||
| Maximum Adult Size (mm) | ||
| Maximum Longevity (yrs) | ||
| Typical Longevity (yrs |
Reproduction
| Start | Peak | End | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reproductive Season | |||
| Typical Number of Young Per Reproductive Event |
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| Sexuality Mode(s) | |||
| Mode(s) of Asexual Reproduction |
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| Fertilization Type(s) | |||
| More than One Reproduction Event per Year |
|||
| Reproductive Startegy | |||
| Egg/Seed Form |
Impacts
Economic Impacts in Chesapeake Bay
Bidens tripartita (Swamp Beggarticks) has not had any reported economic impacts on the Bay. It is widespread in watershed (Brown and Brown 1984; Harvill et al. 1992), but has not been mentioned as an important weed.
Economic Impacts Outside of Chesapeake Bay
Bidens tripartita (Swamp Beggarticks) is 'sometimes troublesome along ditches and in wet pastures and meadows in the northeastern and middle western states' (Muenscher 1980).
Ecological Impacts on Chesapeake Native Species
Bidens tripartita (Swamp Beggarticks) may be too rare and local to have had significant impacts on native biota in the intertidal zone. It is common in nontidal habitats, but impacts have not been reported there (Brown and Brown 1984; Godfrey and Wooten 1981; Harvill et al. 1992).
Ecological Impacts on Other Chesapeake Non-Native Species
Bidens tripartita (Swamp Beggarticks) may be too rare and local to have had significant impacts on exotic biota in the intertidal zone. It is common in nontidal habitats, but impacts have not been reported there (Brown and Brown 1984; Godfrey and Wooten 1981; Harvill et al. 1992).
References - Brown and Brown 1984; Godfrey and Wooten 1981; Harvill et al. 1992
References
Aikin, W. E. A. (1837) Catalogue of phenogamous plants and ferns, native or naturalized, growing in the vicinity of Baltimore, Maryland., Transactions of the Maryland Academy of Sciences and Literature 1: 55-91Brereton, J. A. (1830) Prodromus of the Flora Columbiana, , Washington, D.C.. Pp.
Brown, Addison (1879) Ballast plants in New York City and its vicinity, Bulletin of the Torrey Botanical Club 6: 353-360
Brown, Melvin L.; Brown, Russell G. (1984) Herbaceous Plants of Maryland, , College Park. Pp.
Brown, Melvin L.; Reveal, J. L; Broome, C. R.; Frick, George F. (1987) Comments on the vegetation of colonial Maryland, Huntia 7: 247-283
Fernald, Merritt L. (1950) Gray's Manual of Botany, In: (Eds.) . , New York. Pp.
Gleason, Henry A. (1963) The new Britton and Brown illustrated flora of the northeastern United States and adjacent Canada, In: (Eds.) . , New York. Pp.
Gleason, Henry A.; Cronquist, Arthur (1991) Manual of vascular plants of northeastern United States and adjacent Canada, In: (Eds.) . , Bronx, New York. Pp.
Godfrey, R. K.; Wooten, Jean W. (1981) Aquatic and Wetland Plants of the Southeastern United States: Dicotyledones, , Athens. Pp.
Gray, Asa (1848) A manual of botany of the northern United States., In: (Eds.) . , Boston. Pp.
Harvill, A. M.; Bradley, Ted R.; Stevens, Charles E.; Wieboldt, Thomas F.; Ware, Donna M. E.; Ogle, Douglas W.; Ramsey, Gwynn W.; Fleming, Gary P. (1992) Atlas of the Virginia Flora, , Burkeville, VA. Pp.
Hitchcock, A. S.; Standley, P. C. (1919) Flora of the District of Columbia and Vicinity., In: (Eds.) . , Washington, D. C.. Pp.
Holm, Theodore (1896) Fourth list of additions to the flora of Washington D.C., Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington 10: 29-43
Kartesz, John T. (1994) A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland., In: (Eds.) . , Portland OR. Pp.
Mills, Edward L.; Leach, Joseph H.; Carlton, James T.; Secor, Carol L. (1993) Exotic species in the Great Lakes: a history of biotic crises and anthropogenic introductions., Journal of Great Lakes Research 19: 1-54
Mills, Edward L.; Scheuerell, Mark D.; Carlton, James T.; Strayer, David (1997) Biological invasions in the Hudson River: an inventory and historical analysis., New York State Museum Circular 57: 1-51
Muenscher, Walter C. (1980) Weeds., In: (Eds.) . , Ithaca, NY. Pp.
1997-2024 USDA PLANTS Database.. Onine databse
Resource Management Inc. (1993) National list of plant species that occur in wetlands., , Minneapolis.. Pp.
Robinson, Benjamin Lincoln; Fernald, Merrit L. (1908) Gray's New Manual of Botany., , New York. Pp.
Simmons, Mark P.; Ware, Donna M.; Hayden, W. John (1995) The vascular flora of the Potomac River watershed of King George County, Virginia, Castanea 60: 179-209
Ward, L. F. (1881) Guide to the flora of Washington and Vicinity, United States National Museum Bulletin 22: 1-264
Wass, Melvin L. (1972) A checklist of the biota of lower Chesapeake Bay, Special Scientific Report, Virginia Institute of Marine Science 65: 1-290