Bidens holstii Sherff

Compositae, H. Beentje, C. Jeffrey & D.J.N. Hind. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 2005

Morphology General Habit

Perennial herb or shrub, 0.5–3.5 m high; stems several from base, branched near apex, often reddish, glabrous or sparsely pilose.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves ovate in outline, bipinnatisect, 3–19 cm long, 1.5–14 cm wide, segments lanceolate to ovate, margins dentate, apex acute to attenuate, pilose above, pilose on veins beneath, glandular-punctate and aromatic; petiole 1–7 cm long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Capitulum

Capitula terminal, solitary or few in ± corymbose cymes; stalks of individual capitula 1–10 cm long; involucre 8–12 mm long; outer phyllaries green, 10–16, reflexed in fruit, pilose, inner phyllaries greenish orange, ± 8, sometimes partly connate, pilose; paleae 6–8 mm long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets

Ray florets yellow, rarely orange, neuter, 8–10, rays 30–35 mm long, 12–17 mm wide; disc florets yellow.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Achenes black or dark brown, oblong, flat, 4–8 mm long; aristae 2–3, to 2 mm long, nude or with a few barbs near the base or at middle, rarely with a single retrorse barb, rarely falling early.

Habitat

orest margins, montane bushland and heathland, grassland; (700–)1250–2800 m

Distribution

not known elsewhere K3 K7 T2 T3