red-seeded dandelion

not listed

NNA - Not applicable

SNA - Not applicable

not listed

All of the mature leaves are very deeply lobed, all the way to the midrib, for the entire blade length. The terminal lobe is no larger than the lateral lobes. Early leaves may be shallowly lobed, but these leaves become more deeply lobed as they mature. Regardless of their size or depth, the lobes are consistently triangular.

The flower heads are up to 1″ in diameter.

The cypsela is brick red to reddish-brown or reddish-purple.

2″ to 12″

Bright yellow

Common dandelion (Taraxacum officinale ssp. officinale) early leaves tend to be much less deeply cut. One or more leaves may be deeply lobed while remaining are less so. The lobes tend to be broader. The flowers tend to be larger, up to 2″ wide. However, all of these characteristics overlap, making vegetative identification difficult. The most reliable identification feature is the color of the cypsela: olive green, olive-brown, or straw-colored, never reddish.

Fields, lawns, roadsides, disturbed places.

April to November

Sources

2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 22, 28, 29, 30.

Native to Europe, Asia, Northern Africa, and the Indian subcontinent. Introduced and naturalize in North America.

Uncommon. Widespread but scattered.

This species was formerly classified as Taraxacum laevigatum var. erythrospermum, a subspecies of common dandelion.

Plant

Leaves

Infructescence

Fruit