Bidens alba

Bidens alba
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.
Natural range of Bidens alba from USDA NRCS Plants Database.

Common name: Romerillo

Ecology

Habitat

In the Coastal Plain in Florida, B. alba can be found in pine-oak woodlands (FSU Herbarium). It is found in human disturbed areas such as soil dumps and sandy empty lots. It has been observed to grow in loamy sand (FSU Herbarium). Associated species include Andropogon, Euphorbia, and Ambrosia (FSU Herbarium).

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

Photo Gallery

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  Bidens alba with seeds

  Photo by Michelle Smith

References and notes

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