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Bidens beckii

Torr. ex Spreng.

Beck's Water-marigold

G5Secure Found in 5 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G5SecureGlobal Rank
Least concernIUCN
UnknownThreat Impact
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.147252
Element CodePDAST6A010
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVascular Plant
IUCNLeast concern
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomPlantae
PhylumAnthophyta
ClassDicotyledoneae
OrderAsterales
FamilyAsteraceae
GenusBidens
Synonyms
Megalodonta beckii(Torr. ex Spreng.) Greene
Other Common Names
Beck's watermarigold (EN) Bident de Beck (FR)
Concept Reference
Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
Taxonomic Comments
FNA, 2006 (vol. 21) does not recognize distinct varieties and transfers Megalodonta beckii to Bidens beckii. Multiple phylogenetic studies have shown that Bidens beckii is best treated as part of Bidens (Native Plant Trust 2024).
Conservation Status
Rank Method Rank calculation - Biotics v2
Review Date2024-07-26
Change Date2015-08-25
Edition Date2024-07-26
Edition AuthorsJohnson, J. (2024)
Threat ImpactUnknown
Range Extent200,000 to >2,500,000 square km (about 80,000 to >1,000,000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences> 300
Rank Reasons
Bidens beckii is a perennial aquatic herb that is widely distributed in eastern North America and non-native western North America. With a large range extent, more than 300 occurrences, abundant habitat, and broad habitat preferences, this species is considered secure.
Range Extent Comments
Bidens beckii is native to the northeastern United States and southeastern Canada. It is also non-native in the northwestern United States and southwestern Canada. Range extent was estimated using herbarium specimens, photo-based observations, and NatureServe Network occurrence data collected between 1993 and 2024 (GBIF 2024, iNaturalist 2024, SEINet2024) The native range extent is estimated at 2.1 million square kilometers and the total range extent is estimated at 3.7 million square kilometers.
Occurrences Comments
By applying a 1 km separation distance to herbarium specimens and photo-based observations documented between 1993 and 2024, it is estimated that there are more than 300 occurrences rangewide (GBIF 2024, iNaturalist 2024, SEINet 2024).
Threat Impact Comments
Although threats are not widely documented, Bidens beckii is threatened by development, invasive species, aquatic herbicides, alteration of hydrology, and other threats in some places (NatureServe 2024). However, their overall impact is likely negligible given the species' broad range, large number of occurrences, and affinity for typically abundant habitats, as well as no obvious intrinsic vulnerabilities.
Ecology & Habitat

Diagnostic Characteristics

Receptacles chaffy throughout, flat or nearly so. Corolla evident, yellow. Disk flowers fertile with divided styles. Pappus of three to six awns. Achenes of the disk flowers subterete, not beaked. Bracts of the involucre all separate or nearly so.

Habitat

Bidens beckii grows in shallow still or slow-moving waters of lakes, ponds and slow moving river channels (FNA 2006, Chayka 2024).

Ecology

Seeds eaten by wood ducks.

Reproduction

Disk flowers perfect, ray flowers neutral. (Rays rarely pistillate).
Other Nations (2)
United StatesN5
ProvinceRankNative
OhioS1Yes
OregonSNRYes
MichiganSNRYes
New YorkS3Yes
MaineSNRYes
IndianaS1Yes
MissouriSUYes
MassachusettsS2Yes
WashingtonSNRYes
New HampshireS2Yes
Rhode IslandSNRYes
IllinoisS1Yes
New JerseyS1Yes
WisconsinSNRYes
PennsylvaniaS1Yes
VermontSNRYes
ConnecticutS2Yes
MontanaS2Yes
IowaS1Yes
MinnesotaSNRYes
IdahoS1Yes
CanadaN5
ProvinceRankNative
ManitobaS3Yes
New BrunswickS4Yes
OntarioS5Yes
Nova ScotiaS3Yes
British ColumbiaS4Yes
QuebecS4Yes
SaskatchewanS2Yes
Threat Assessments
ThreatScopeSeverityTiming
1 - Residential & commercial developmentUnknownUnknownUnknown
7 - Natural system modificationsUnknownUnknownUnknown
7.2 - Dams & water management/useUnknownUnknownUnknown
8 - Invasive & other problematic species, genes & diseasesUnknownUnknownUnknown
8.1 - Invasive non-native/alien species/diseasesUnknownUnknownUnknown
8.1.1 - Unspecified speciesUnknownUnknownUnknown
9 - PollutionUnknownUnknownUnknown
9.3 - Agricultural & forestry effluentsUnknownUnknownUnknown
9.3.3 - Herbicides and pesticidesUnknownUnknownUnknown

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Plant Characteristics
DurationPERENNIAL
Economic Value (Genus)No
Roadless Areas (5)
Minnesota (2)
AreaForestAcres
Baker - Homer - Brule LakesSuperior National Forest6,712
Cabin CreekSuperior National Forest6,071
Montana (2)
AreaForestAcres
Lebeau RA 1507Flathead National Forest5,450
Scotchman Peaks (MT)Kootenai National Forest53,909
Oregon (1)
AreaForestAcres
TahkenitchSiuslaw National Forest5,799
References (13)
  1. Bissell, J.K., and C.W. Bier. 1987 December 30. Presque Isle State Park: Botanical Survey and Natural Community Classification.
  2. Chayka, K. 2024. Minnesota Wildflowers. https://www.minnesotawildflowers.info
  3. Dodds, J. 2022. <i>Bidens beckii </i>Rare Plant Profile. New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, State Parks, Forests and Historic Sites, State Forest Fire Service and Forestry, Office of Natural Lands Management, New Jersey Natural Heritage Program, Trenton, NJ. 16 pp. [https://nj.gov/dep/parksandforests/natural/heritage/docs/bidens-beckii-water-marigold.pdf]
  4. Fairbrothers, D.E. et al. 1965. Aquatic Vegetation of New Jersey. Rutgers Univ. Ext. Serv. College of Agriculture. Ext. Bull. 382. Camden, New Jersey, USA.
  5. Fernald, M.L. 1950 Gray's Manual of Botany, 8th ed. American Book Company, New York. 1632 pp.
  6. Flora of North America Editorial Committee (FNA). 2006c. Flora of North America north of Mexico. Vol. 21. Magnoliophyta: Asteridae, part 8: Asteraceae, part 3. Oxford Univ. Press, New York. xxii + 616 pp.
  7. Gleason, H.A. 1952. The new Britton and Brown illustrated flora of the northeastern United States and adjacent Canada. 3 volumes. Hafner Press, New York. 1732 pp.
  8. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF). 2024. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) data portal. Online. Available: https://www.gbif.org/ (accessed 2024).
  9. Greene, E.L. 1901. Studies in the Compositae - VIII. Pittonia 4:242-284.
  10. iNaturalist. 2024. Online. Available: https://www.inaturalist.org (accessed 2024).
  11. Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
  12. NatureServe. 2024. NatureServe Network Biodiversity Location Data. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia.
  13. Southwest Environmental Information Network (SEINet). 2024. Collections Databases. Online. Available: https://swbiodiversity.org/seinet/collections/index.php (accessed 2024).