Hi Vera I don't know what this plant is, but it doesn't look like Bidens pilosa. See https://keyserver.lucidcentral.org/weeds/data/media/Html/bidens_pilosa.htm However, I don't wish to discourage you from removing it if you think it is a nasty one.
Hi Michael. Thank you for checking. I noticed a few plants already gone to seed last year, with those slender dark seeds that we called 'farmers friends' as kids. Perhaps it is a different Bidens species? I will be interested if anyone else knows it, but I guess I can always see what it looks like as it gets bigger and flowers.
Image 11, of seedlings, in https://keyserver.lucidcentral.org/weeds/data/media/Html/bidens_pilosa.htm shows leaves that look like this, although the ones coming up on Mt Painter at the moment look quite different (sighting 4251671).
Whatever it is, it looks highly invasive. I am inclined to think it probably is Bidens pilosa. There are a couple of photos at the two-leaves stage that look like this in the Flora of Australia monograph, though none like this at later stages. Unfortunately this description does not describe the leaves at a very early stage. https://profiles.ala.org.au/opus/foa/profile/Bidens%20pilosa The other two species of Bidens in SE NSW, subalternans and tripartita, do not have leaves like this. Nor does the native species, Glossocardia bidens.
Yes, thanks Cath, I see what you mean in image 11.
Vera, it would be useful to get photos of a plant with mature leaves. Would you be able to wait till it grows a bit and submit some more photos so we can confirm for sure?
Hi Vera Yesterday I visited a patch of Bidens pilosa which I have been monitoring. See: Bidens pilosa (Cobblers Pegs, Pitch-forks, Farmer's Friend) on 3 Mar 2020 The seedlings are similar, but the leaf shape is slightly different, and the colouring is markedly different to what you have here. These do not look the same as Bidens pilosa. However, I agree with Betty that it looks highly invasive. Would you be able to wait till it grows a bit and submit some more photos so we can get a good ID?
Thank you so much all. Even the bigger seedlings still have the bipinnate leaves so I guess it does seem less likely to be the pilosa. There will be no problems getting photos later on, as there is actually quite a bit of it, probably half a hectare or more in size and much of this dense. I will submit more photos later.
Put the sighting on iNaturalist. Some overseas botanist may have more knowledge of these plants. If there are already more than 10000 plants early identification is essential.
Hi Harley Thanks for your interest. The location is invisible to you because it has not been ID'd yet. However, it is visible to Vera and moderators. Vera will be taking more photos later and following it thru.
Hi Vera, is there a tree growing near these seedlings? They look a bit like seedlings of Melia azedarach (White Cedar) which sometimes germinate in large groups. Might be worth a check just to exclude it.
Compare with https://canberra.naturemapr.org/Community/Sightings/Details/4251977. I went to the weed seed bank on Long Gully Road to take photos of both Bidens pilosa and Bidens subalternans.
Mike, the picture of Bidens subalterns you posted looks exactly like the seedlings on Tugg Hill; that must be it. Thank you to everyone for identifying it.
Hi Vera We would still like to have some photos of plants that are more mature. That will help us to ID them more easily in the future. It would be great if you can do that.
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