Growing in wet soils, erect to spreading, prostate stems reach 8–40 inches tall, and often branch near the base. Note the opposite leaves with toothed edges, and the long outer leaf-like phyllaries beneath the flower heads with yellow rays and a yellow disk.

FLOWER: August–October. Flower heads 1/2–1 1/2 inch wide (12–38 mm) with 6–8 showy yellow ray florets (sometimes none), each 1/8–5/8 inch long (2–15 mm); yellow disk flowers number 40–100; below the flower head are 5–8 leaf-like outer bracts to 3/8 inch long (1 cm), about as long or longer than the rays. Flower heads are single or in loose, open clusters, erect to nodding in flower, nodding when in fruit.

LEAVES: Opposite. Blades stemless (sessile) to clasping, lance-shaped, 1 5/8–4 inches long (4–10 cm), tip pointed; margins coarsely toothed to serrated, surfaces hairless (glabrous).

HABITAT: Moist, sandy soils; stream banks, flood plains, drainages, wet meadows, wetlands.

ELEVATION: 3,900–8,800 feet.

RANGE: Widespread across North America.

SIMILAR SPECIES: Common Beggarticks, B. frondosa (see photo), in similar range and habitats, has rayless flowers and pinnately compound leaves with serrated margins. Smooth Beggarticks, B. laevis, in similar habitats (Dona Ana, Rio Arriba, San Juan, Socorro, Taos cos.), has larger ray flowers, 5/8–1 inch long (15–25 mm), mature flower heads are erect, not nodding, and linear to elliptic leaves with serrated margins.

NM COUNTIES: Scattered but uncommon across NM in mid-elevation, wet habitats: Bernalillo, Catron, Colfax, De Baca, Grant, Harding, Hidalgo, Los Alamos, Otero, Rio Arriba, San Juan, San Miguel, Sandoval, Santa Fe, Sierra, Socorro, Taos, Union, Valencia.