Bidens hawaiensis is an erect, suffrutescent perennial herb that grows 0.7-2.5 meters tall. The leaves are simple, oblong-ovate, usually 7-16(-20) cm long, including the petiole, and 2-6 cm wide. They are glabrous or sparsely pubescent on the veins, with serrate margins and a broadly cuneate base. It produces 10-25 flower heads in compound cymes that terminate the main stem and lateral branches. The heads are (3-)4-5 cm in diameter, including the ray florets. Peduncles are 4-8 cm long and glabrous. The outer involucral bracts are 4-6(-12) mm long, with the inner ones distinct. There are 7-10 sterile ray florets per head, which are yellow, 18-26 mm long, and 6-9 mm wide. The disk florets number 22-32 per head and are either perfect or female (with the plants being gynodioecious). The corollas are yellow, and the pappus consists of 2 awns 1.5-2.5 mm long, though occasionally less than 1 mm long. The achenes are black, straight, wingless, 8-13 mm long, 1-1.5 mm wide, and glabrous. It is found in open shrubland to mesic forests at 50 – 1,950 meters.
Bean-shaped (Reniform): Resembling the shape of a kidney or bean.
Square or Oblong: Angular shape with all sides more or less equal or longer than wide.
Triangular: Three-sided shape, broadest below the middle.
Elliptic: Rounded at both ends. shaped like an ellipse or oval.
Ovate or Obovate: egg-shaped, broader at one end.
Linear: Extremely long and narrow, with sides usually parallel.
Round: Appears circular, with length and width roughly the same.
Cardioid (Heart-Shaped): One edge has a prominent double curve into two lobes.
Cylindrical: A cylinder with parallel sides and a circular cross-section.
Discoid: Resembling a disc or plate with two relatively flat surfaces.
Fusiform: Spindle-shaped, tapering at both ends.
Globose: Spherical.
Lenticular: Resembling a lens with two convex surfaces.
Ovoid: Egg-shaped.
Plano-convex: Having a flat ventral (planar) surface and a curved dorsal (convex) surface.
Polygonal: Having more than three flat faces meeting at angles.
Sectoroid: Resembling a segment of an orange with two relatively flat faces and one curved face.
Subglobose/ellipsoid: Inflated shape but less than spherical.
Trigonous: Having three faces that meet at a distinct angle; triangular in cross-section.
Endangered species (E) are species that are so rare they’re in danger of becoming extinct.
Threatened species (T) are species that are likely to become endangered within the foreseeable future throughout all or a significant portion of their range.
Species of Concern (SOC) are species about which there are some concerns regarding status and threats, but insufficient information is available to list the species under the Endangered Species Act (ESA).
Plant Extinction Prevention (PEP) is a state status for rare plants that focuses its efforts on species that have fewer than 50 remaining wild individuals.
Orthodox seeds (desiccation-tolerant): can be dried to an internal seed moisture of less than 12% water and stored at freezing temperatures.
Intermediate seeds (temperature-sensitive) tend to age faster than orthodox seeds and may have only a 5-year lifespan when stored at -20°C. They are recommended for storage at 5°C.
Recalcitrant seeds (desiccation-sensitive): cannot be stored in a conventional freezer as they cannot survive after drying and/or freezing at -20°C. They are recommended for cryopreservation storage.