Difference between revisions of "Bidens alba"

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(Diseases and parasites)
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===Use by animals=== <!--Herbivory, granivory, insect hosting, etc.-->
 
===Use by animals=== <!--Herbivory, granivory, insect hosting, etc.-->
 
===Diseases and parasites===
 
===Diseases and parasites===
 +
''Crypticerya genistae'' is an invasive scale insect native to Brazil and is found in association with ''B. alba'' (Hodges et al. 2008).
 +
 
==Conservation and Management==
 
==Conservation and Management==
 
==Cultivation and restoration==
 
==Cultivation and restoration==

Revision as of 15:25, 2 December 2015

Bidens alba
Bidens alba MMS1.jpg
Photo taken by Michelle Smith
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Magnoliophyta - Flowering plants
Class: Magnoliopsida - Dicotyledons
Order: Asterales
Family: Asteraceae ⁄ Compositae
Genus: Bidens
Species: B. alba
Binomial name
Bidens alba
(L.) DC.
Bide alba dist.jpg
Natural range of Bidens alba from USDA NRCS Plants Database.

Common name: Romerillo

Taxonomic notes

Description

B. alba is a weedy annual or a short lived perennial that has vertical roots [1] [2]. Leaves are arranged opposite with depressed midveins [1].

Distribution

Ecology

Habitat

In the Coastal Plain in Florida, B. alba can be found in pine-oak woodlands (FSU Herbarium). It has been found to be common in disturbed areas such as railroads, citrus orchards, soil dumps and empty lots (FSU Herbarium; Ramirez et al. 2012). It has been observed to grow in loamy sand (FSU Herbarium). Associated species include Andropogon, Euphorbia, and Ambrosia (FSU Herbarium).

Phenology

It has been recorded flowering January and May through November (FSU Herbarium).

Seed dispersal

The seed has two prongs that stick on to passing by animals, making dispersal zoochorous [2].

Seed bank and germination

Under cooler conditions, newly added seeds in the seed bank have a slightly higher germination rates than seeds that have resided in the seed bank for a longer time (Ramirez et al. 2012). Germination has also been observed at a wide range of temperatures, pH and salt concentrations; however, is inhibited at highly acidic and moderately alkaline soils and extreme water stress (Ramirez et al. 2012). Germination is not sensitive to light (Ramirez et al. 2012).

Fire ecology

Pollination

The following Hymenoptera families and species were observed visiting flowers of Bidens alba at Archbold Biological Station (Deyrup 2015):

Apidae: Apis mellifera, Bombus impatiens, B. pennsylvanicus, Mellisodes communis, M. comptoides, Nomada fervida

Halictidae: Agapostemon splendens, Augochlora pura, Augochlorella aurata, A. gratiosa, Augochloropsis metallica, Dieunomia heteropoda, Halictus poeyi, Lasioglossum pectoralis

Megachilidae: Anthidiellum notatum rufomaculatum, A. perplexum, Coelioxys dolichos, C. modesta, C. octodentata, C. sayi, Dolichostelis louisae, Heriades leavitti, Megachile albitarsis, M. brevis pseudobrevis, M. exilis parexilis, M. inimica, M. mendica, M. petulans, M. rugifrons, M. xylocopoides

Sphecidae: Ammophila pictipennis, A. urnaria, Bicyrtes capnoptera, Cerceris blakei, Isodontia exornata, Microbembex monodonta, Philanthus ventilabris

Vespidae: Eumenes smithii, Pachodynerus erynnis, Stenodynerus fundatiformis

Use by animals

Diseases and parasites

Crypticerya genistae is an invasive scale insect native to Brazil and is found in association with B. alba (Hodges et al. 2008).

Conservation and Management

Cultivation and restoration

Photo Gallery

References and notes

Deyrup, M.A. 2015. Database of observations of Hymenoptera visitations to flowers of plants on Archbold Biological Station, Florida, USA.

Florida State University Robert K. Godfrey Herbarium database. URL: http://herbarium.bio.fsu.edu. Last accessed: October 2015. Collectors: Loran C. Anderson, Ed Keppner, Lisa Keppner, R. Kral, Annie Schmidt, Kyle W. Shankle. States and Counties: Florida: Bay, Gulf, Indian River, Leon, Liberty, Martin, Wakulla. Compiled by Tall Timbers Research Station and Land Conservancy.

  1. 1.0 1.1 [Floridata] Accessed December 2, 2015
  2. 2.0 2.1 [Eat the Weeds] Accessed December 2, 2015