OK, if you need another, ‘dandelion’ is actually a catch-all family name for over 200 micro-species which are found in the UK. Dandelion is common in pastures, lawns, orchards, hay fields, waste ground and roadsides. Plants are best preserved if pressed immediately after collection (i.e. Tim Rich has set out a few Taraxacum dos and don'ts to help you get started, but if you're only just beginning to identify wild plants, we'd suggest that you get some of the more user-friendly genera under your belt first, before you start tackling dandelions. Alan Punton/A to Z Botanical Collection. There are several fun and interesting dandelion facts that shed light on different aspects of this plant. Privacy & data protection | Safeguarding policy Of the nine British sections, Sections Taraxacum, Obliqua and Palustria are all very restricted ecologically and contain very few species. View abstract. It may be that the Dandelion you see most often is Taraxacum officinale, the Common Dandelion, however there are more than 230 species of Dandelion in the UK and the differences between them are small and very complex.. Botanical Society of Britain & Ireland, 29 West Farm Court, Broompark, Durham DH7 7RN. The Dandelion herb plant grows from a tightly formed rosette and has a deep, twisted tap root that is rather brittle and breaks easily. During the Second World War, when coffee was almost unobtainable, a substitute was made from the roasted and ground roots of Dandelions. It attracted 305 participants. Images should be numbered with the collecting number. 2 The leaves of the plant are considered to be very nutritious and can be eaten as a salad or fresh vegetable. Whether it goes by the name dandelion, cankerwort, puffball or lion's tooth, the hundreds of plants in the genus Taraxacum typically have a bad reputation with gardeners. For anyone who is serious about identifying dandelions, there is no substitute for developing a comprehensive herbarium of well-preserved material named by a recognised authority who is going to want to see specimens that have been carefully selected in the field and pressed for later reference. Contrary to popular belief, this is a beneficial plant to have. The term has since died out in French (except in Swiss French), but compare Spanish diente de león, Portuguese dente-de-leão, Italian dente di leone, German Löwenzahn, Norwegian Bokmål løvetann, all descendants or loan translations of the Latin term. Many different things have to be taken into account. As mentioned above, this introduced European perennial is loaded with medicinal properties. the attitude and dimensions of the outer involucral bracts (i.e. whether erect, spreading, or recurved). Taraxacum is found throughout the British Isles and over 200 microspecies has been identified. Plants should be well-grown, and not from shaded, heavily-trodden, mown or grazed areas, or diseased. This will mean a change of paper at least once a day, preferably twice, and the press near a source of gentle heat (e.g. Tim Rich's presentation gives an introduction to dandelion sections and what to look for. The dandelion is back again, doing what it does best: invading. Dandelion is a low growing species with a long flowering period from March to October. The plants are perennial and have a long tap root. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google. Dandelions of Great Britain and Ireland: A.A. Dudman & A.J. Taxonomists argue over which species is which. Bright yellow discs of tightly packed florets above a rosette of jaggedly toothed leaves are followed by fluffy white seed heads. datasets have provided data to the NBN Atlas for this genus.. Browse the list of datasets and find organisations you can join if you are interested in participating in a survey for species … If you are serious about dandelion identification, we recommend that you join BSBI. The BSBI is for everyone who cares about the wild plants of Britain and Ireland. They have milky latex, and a basal rosette of leaves, lobed or unlobed. Dandelion-and-burdock is a popular fizzy drink made in the north of England. The genus is native to Eurasia and North America, but the two commonplace species worldwide, T. officinale and T. erythrospermum, were introduced from Europe and now propagate as wildflowers. A favourite food of pet rabbits and guinea pigs, Dandelion leaves may also be added to salads to add an extra, slightly bitter flavour. Since 1836, we've been promoting the study, understanding and enjoyment of British and Irish botany. Your welcome pack will include a copy of the BSBI Yearbook with full contact details for every single referee, along with notes on the material they require in order to make an identification. Dandelion inhabits different habitats that provide enough sunlight: meadows, grasslands, edges of the forests, gardens and lawns. BSBI Handbook number 9, Dandelions of the British Isles (Dudman & Richards 1997) is the standard source of reference. Section Spectabilia includes one common and widespread but very plastic species viz. An excellent way to absorb dandelion’s vitamins A, C, B, and K is to create a standard decoction of the root.. Everyone knows what a dandelion looks like, but did you know that there are c250 species of dandelion recorded in Britain & Ireland? Dandelions mostly occur in disturbed habitats such as pastures, roadside verges, lawns, tracks, paths and waste ground. Common dandelion. Particularly useful are pictures of involucres in late bud, the attitude of the ligules underneath, and the colour of the outside of the petiole. We usually send them once a month. Conversely, the presence of some sections says a lot about the quality of the habitat! Just by blowing the puffball, the head flies away spreading a couple hundred seeds up to hundred of miles away depending on the wind strength. Together with Hieracium (hawkweeds) and Rubus (blackberries), Taraxacum  is probably the most challenging genus that British and Irish botanists encounter. Britain has about 240 different species of dandelion, and since I started questioning my wanton destruction of these plants, I have discovered six of them. Commonly considered a weed, young dandelions provide excellent salad leaves (though larger, older leaves become bitter). The flowers are followed by the familiar fluffy seed-heads often referred to as ‘clocks’. Dandelion seeds will grow everywhere, and they are easy to establish and maintain. dandelion. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Highly Nutritious. Common Types of Dandelion Plants. The plasticity of dandelions is such that it takes a great deal of experience to learn what a species can ‘do’, and there are a great many of them. 1 Dandelion root has also traditionally been used to make a coffee substitute. It is often thought of as a 'weed' of grassy places. Dandelion, weedy perennial herb of the genus Taraxacum of the family Asteraceae, native to Eurasia but widespread throughout much of temperate North America. Rapid drying is essential if the true colours are to be preserved. Flowerheads usually yellow, solitary borne on hollow scape (stem). New Year Plant Hunt goes ahead in 2021 but you MUST stay safe! Arthur Chater has compiled general advice on collecting and pressing specimens. It is not possible to identify a Dandelion to species from a single photograph. diameter of the head when fully open (usually in sunshine). Purslane can often be found in moist garden beds, lawns, and shady areas, where it lies … There are up to two hundred and thirty five micro species of dandelion all lumped under the Taraxacum officinale name. A presentation given by Tim Rich at the BSBI Recorders' Conference 2018, gives an introduction to collecting dandelion specimens. Tim Rich has set out a few Taraxacum dos and don'ts to help you get started, but if you're only just beginning to identify wild plants, we'd suggest that you get some of the more user-friendly genera under your belt first, before you start tackling dandelions. Share on Pinterest. You can change your mind by clicking a link we put in the emails. They grow wild all over Europe, the US and Asia. By its nature, the sectional division of Taraxacum produces much more “fuzzy” categories than the species or genus, hence the sections must be keyed out using as many characters as possible, including ecological ones. It was reported that by 1672, the plant was well established in New England . Gardeners curse them for the stubborn taproot and the many seeds that are so easily dispersed. It is then easily pressed (after gently shaking to remove excess water), but additional changes of drying paper are required. petiole colour, midrib colour (underneath). If possible include both flowering and fruiting heads (especially Sect. Even then, be prepared not to name a substantial proportion of material. We promise not to pass on your details to anyone else. by Dave Walker, UK One of the pleasures of studying the macroscopic and microscopic world, is that even the most common plants can provide a wealth of interesting features when viewed in 'close-up'. If you are harvesting the roots in spring, keep in mind that they are less medicinally active than if you were harvesting them in fall. Dandelion ( Taraxacum officinale ). Here are some of the more common varieties of dandelion plants: Common dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) is the familiar, bright yellow dandelion that pops up along roadsides, in meadows, along riverbanks, and of course, in lawns. The most familiar species is T. officinale. Leaves produced later will be the ‘summer’ leaves, and are usually larger and not of typical shape. Dandelion Taraxacum officinale A common sight in spring, these bright yellow wild flowers can look quite exotic and the fluffy seed heads that follow are delicate and ethereal. The creature gets its name from its resemblance to the 'spent heads' of the dandelion flower, which specifically addresses a Rhodaliidae species called Thermopalia taraxaca, the expert notes. The common yellow dandelion has a long list of powerful healing abilities as well as other health benefits. Taraxacum is a large genus of flowering plants in the family Asteraceae, which consists of species commonly known as dandelions. Digital images to accompany specimens can markedly enhance their value as characters lost or obscured by pressing can be assessed and pictures should be taken at the time of collection. Dandelion is said to be one of the five bitter herbs that Jews were required to eat during the Feast of Passover. ScienceDaily . The dandelion species is not easy to contain. Telling them apart is a real specialist’s job, and the chances are your wildflower guide won’t even attempt to help you try. The BSBI's expert referee for dandelions has more than 50 years experience of studying and identifying these difficult plants. 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