| Synonyms: |
Bidens bampsiana Lisowski Bidens modesta Sherff |
| Common names: | |
| Frequency: | Locally common |
| Status: | Native |
| Description: |
Decumbent perennial herb with woody rootstock and tuberous roots, 30-60 cm tall. Stems several from rootstock, subtetragonal, glabrous. Leaves petiolate, petiole up to 3 cm long; lamina simple, oblanceolate or elliptic, leathery, glabrous, 6-14 x 0.2-3 cm, margins entire or minutely or coarsely dentate above with 2-4 teeth on each side. Inflorescences of solitary terminal capitula or 4-5 per stem; peduncle glabrous or ciliate at apex, 6.5-27 cm long. Capitula radiate; involucre c. 4 x 1 cm at anthesis, up to 13 mm tall in fruit; outer phyllaries green, glabrous or sparsely ciliate at base, oblong, 4-7.5 x 1-3 mm at anthesis, not altered in fruit; inner phyllaries yellowish-green, ovate-oblong, leathery, glabrous except at base and apex where ciliate, 7-8 x 2-2.5 mm, up to 11 mm long in fruit. Ray florets 8, neuter, ray limbs lemon-yellow, 20-26 x 6-8 mm, linear-oblong; disc floret corollas lemon-yellow, 5-lobed. Achenes dark brown, linear-oblong, 2-4-striate on each surface, flat, glabrous except at margins where setuliferous, 7-12 x 1-1.5mm, with a crown of bristles and 2 (rarely 3-5) aristae; aristae retrorsely barbed, 2-3 mm long. |
| Type location: |
Angola |
| Notes: | |
| Derivation of specific name: | |
| Habitat: | Brachystegia woodland and grassland |
| Altitude range: (metres) | 1200 - 1400 m |
| Flowering time: | Nov - Feb |
| Worldwide distribution: | Angola, DRC, Tanzania and Zambia |
| FZ divisions: | W |
| Zambian distribution (Provinces): | Nw |
| Growth form(s): | Perennial. |
| Endemic status: | |
| Red data list status: | |
| Insects associated with this species: | |
| Spot characters: | Display spot characters for this species |
| Images last updated: | Tuesday 17 February 2026 |
| Literature: |
Hind, D.J.N. (2025). Compositae (Part 5) Flora Zambesiaca 6(5) Pages 43 - 44. |