Bidens
genus of plants
Bidens is a genus of flowering plants in the aster family, Asteraceae. The genus include roughly 230 species which are distributed worldwide. Despite their global distribution, the systematics and taxonomy of the genus has been described as complicated and unorganized. The common names beggarticks, black jack, burr marigolds, cobbler's pegs, Spanish needles, stickseeds, tickseeds and tickseed sunflowers refer to the fruits of the plants, most of which are bristly and barbed. The generic name refers to the same character; Bidens comes from the Latin bi ("two") and dens ("tooth").
Phylogeny, taxonomy and diversity
Despite their global distribution, the systematics and taxonomy of the genus has been described as complicated and unorganized. The genus include roughly 230 species.
Bidens is closely related to the American genus Coreopsis, and the genera are sometimes difficult to tell apart; in addition, neither is monophyletic.
Species
Species include:
Bidens alba (L.) DC. – romerillo
Bidens amplectens Sherff – Waiʻanae kokoʻolau
Bidens amplissima Greene – Vancouver Island beggarticks
Bidens aristosa (Michx.) Britt. – bearded beggarticks, long-bracted beggarticks, tickseed sunflower, western tickseed
Bidens asymmetrica (Levl.) Sherff – Koʻolau kokoʻolau, Ko'olau Range beggarticks
Bidens aurea (Ait.) Sherff – Arizona beggarticks
Bidens beckii – Beck's water-marigold, Henderson's water-marigold, Oregon water-marigold
Bidens bidentoides (Nutt.) Britt.
The public source identifies “Bidens” as genus of plants. This brief keeps that definition visible, then builds a research path around Bidens, genus and plants.
Why this record matters
A short description can identify a subject without explaining its stakes. For “Bidens”, the useful work is to connect “genus of plants” to the records capable of establishing context and consequence.
Datasets, specimens, observations and peer-reviewed methods provide the appropriate test for the technical claims summarized here. The source revision retrieved here is dated Jul 24, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q157173. None of the 0 selected statements returned an explicit reference.
Scientific names, classifications and consensus can change while older terminology persists in catalogues and historical literature. The lead is largely declarative, so disagreement and counter-evidence require a deliberate search beyond the opening account. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Check terminology, classification and the date of the cited evidence. Scientific names and technical consensus can change while older records retain historical value.
- Current terminology
- Classification context
- Finding cited technical literature
Primary datasets, specimen catalogues, standards bodies and the most recent peer-reviewed literature.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “Bidens”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow Bidens primary sources, Bidens archive and Bidens research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “Bidens”?
- Which observation, specimen, dataset or publication supports the account?
- Has classification or technical consensus changed since the cited source?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “Bidens” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.