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Once again I’ve heard from orchid chaser Bob Davis, but this time it’s not an orchid that has piqued his curiosity. Bob and his wife Lynne like to find and identify odd flowers that might go overlooked. In this case, it’s Bidens comosa, or swamp tickseed.
Bob writes, “The Peterson Field Guide Series for Wildflowers of Northeastern and North Central North America on page 168 with an uncolored sketch on page 169. At first I missed the fact that the bracts around the flower were green bracts and not yellow petals.
“ I discovered that not only is one plant in the lily pond but there are dozens in the pond on the same side as the two imported cypress trees.”
Tickseed and beggar’s lice produce seeds that stick to pants, socks, fur, Grandma's quilt (but don't tell Grandma that you have it outside). In essence, the seeds beg a ride on who or whatever happens to pass.
The Latin genus name “Bidens” means two-toothed and refers to the two projections usually found at the top of the seed. The word “comosa” means bearing tufts of leaves.
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