Seasonal Wild Flowers

Latin name

Bidens cernua

Family

Asteraceae

Flowering season

July to October

English distribution

It is found throughout the country but is most common in

the South, Norfolk and the West Midlands. It is least

common in the far North and the far Southwest.

For a map see the Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland –

Nodding Bur-Marigold

Habitat

It grows in damp places on the margins freshwater of

rivers, streams, ponds and meres, especially where there

is standing water in the winter.

Description

Nodding Bur-Marigold is a native, annual, erect herb

growing up to 75cm.

The flowerheads are drooping and up to 2.5cm across. 

There are no ray florets, just disk florets.

The disk florets are hermaphrodite and 4-sidedly

tubular.

The edges of the tubes extend to form barbedbristles. 

The fruits (achenes) have 3-4 barbed bristles for

dispersal instead of a feathery pappus.

Inner bracts are petal-like, ovate and yellow with dark

marks.

The 5-8 outer bracts are longer, green, lanceolate

and toothed.

Leaves are sessile, lanceolate, coasely-toothed

and opposite.

B. cerna var radiata has ray florets with yellow ligules,

but is not commonly found.