Telling them apart is a real specialist’s job, and the chances are your wildflower guide won’t even attempt to help you try. Our enquiries email and phone line are open Monday to Friday, 10am - 7pm. (three endemics are present in Shetland and one on St Kilda). Dandelion is a hardy perennial plant. Taraxacum is a large genus of flowering plants in the family Asteraceae, which consists of species commonly known as dandelions. Together with Hieracium (hawkweeds) and Rubus (blackberries), Taraxacum is probably the most challenging genus that British and Irish botanists encounter. Gardeners curse them for the stubborn taproot and the many seeds that are so easily dispersed. Dandelion is common in pastures, lawns, orchards, hay fields, waste ground and roadsides. Since 1836, we've been promoting the study, understanding and enjoyment of British and Irish botany. 2 The leaves of the plant are considered to be very nutritious and can be eaten as a salad or fresh vegetable. 1 Dandelion root has also traditionally been used to make a coffee substitute. You can view Josh's slides here: Botanical Society of Britain & Ireland, 29 West Farm Court, Broompark, Durham DH7 7RN. The common name dandelion (/ˈdændɪlaɪ.ən/ DAN-di-ly-ən, from French dent-de-lion, meaning "lion's tooth") is given to members of the g… There are several fun and interesting dandelion facts that shed light on different aspects of this plant. Dandelions of Great Britain and Ireland: A.A. Dudman & A.J. Highly Nutritious. Updated April 29, 2020 The majority of dandelions in this country are the Taraxacum officinale species - Wiki suggests there are over 100 species from wikipedia, here are some others: Selected species [ edit] A favourite food of pet rabbits and guinea pigs, Dandelion leaves may also be added to salads to add an extra, slightly bitter flavour. The yello… BSBI members have exclusive access to a network of 100+ expert referees for difficult plant groups. Together with Hieracium (hawkweeds) and Rubus (blackberries), Taraxacum is probably the most challenging genus that British and Irish botanists encounter. Sign up here to receive emails about plants and Plantlife’s work. Dandelions have many uses including as a diuretic, the blanched leaves can be added to salads, roots are used to make dandelion ‘coffee’ and dandelion wine is made from the flowers. Contact Josh on Twitter with your dandelion enquiries. The common yellow dandelion has a long list of powerful healing abilities as well as other health benefits. 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. The dandelion could almost be an evergreen plant as it seems to grow year-round — at least whenever the temperature stays above freezing. The plants are perennial and have a long tap root. Dandelion inhabits different habitats that provide enough sunlight: meadows, grasslands, edges of the forests, gardens and lawns. There are around three hundred different species and they grow in the temperate regions of Europe, Asia, and North America but are also found in most areas of the world including Canada, New Zealand and Australia. A perennial with a stout taproot, dandelion is abundant everywhere but prefers chalks and loamy soils above pH 7.0. Taraxacum is found throughout the British Isles and over 200 microspecies has been identified. Taraxacum officinale, the common dandelion (often simply called " dandelion "), is a flowering herbaceous perennial plant of the family Asteraceae (Compositae). Dandelions are quite resilient and, as such, … Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale), was named after the French dent de lion, meaning lion’s tooth, which refers to its toothed leaves. Collect until mid-late flowering period only. The BSBI's expert referee for dandelions has more than 50 years experience of studying and identifying these difficult plants. It’s a great companion plant for gardening because it’s long taproot brings up nutrients to the shallow-rooting plants in the garden adding minerals and nitrogen to the soil. Phytomedicine 2005;12:588-97. A thorough study of oneâs local âpatchâ might eventually yield 80-100 species, and casual introductions from elsewhere in Europe are always a possibility. T. lacistophyllum, T. rubicundum, T. argutum, T. inopinatum, T. faeroense, T. euryphyllum, T. pseudolarssonii, T. luteum, T. unguilobum, T. nordstedtii, T. bracteatum, T. subbracteatum, T. hamatum, T. pseudohamatum, T. exacutum, T. ancistrolobum, etc.). In the Language of Flowers, Dandelion stands for faithfulness and happiness. dandelion. Dandelion-and-burdock is a popular fizzy drink made in the north of England. 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'. There are up to two hundred and thirty five micro species of dandelion all lumped under the Taraxacum officinale name. The whole plant should be collected (single leaves and heads are not of much use), but specimens should be excised at the top of the root. Bright yellow discs of tightly packed florets above a rosette of jaggedly toothed leaves are followed by fluffy white seed heads. On 25th April, ecologist and BSBI member Josh Styles hosted a free online introductory course to dandelion identification. Section Hamata appears to be a fairly homogeneous group but it has affinities with Section Celtica and, in certain cases, some species could fit fairly happily into either section. The plasticity of dandelions is such that it takes a great deal of experience to learn what a species can ‘… Share on Pinterest. The key to the nine Sections in the Handbook, and the key in Staceâs New Flora of the British Isles are essentially identical, and allow some provisional groupings to be made. The most familiar species is T. officinale. They have milky latex, and a basal rosette of leaves, lobed or unlobed. Plants are best preserved if pressed immediately after collection (i.e. Dandelion Drinks. It is often thought of as a 'weed' of grassy places. BSBI Handbook number 9, Dandelions of the British Isles (Dudman & Richards 1997) is the standard source of reference. 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. Purslane. ), and whether bordered. 9. It's best to examine only well-grown, typical individuals just before and during early flowering (a window of about a month, although this extends with increasing altitude). In most parts of the world, dandelion is known as weed. - the length & width of the involucral bracts, their colour (all green, suffused purple, red-tipped, etc. It attracted 305 participants. It is then easily pressed (after gently shaking to remove excess water), but additional changes of drying paper are required. New Year Plant Hunt goes ahead in 2021 but you MUST stay safe! Privacy & data protection | Safeguarding policy Scientific name: Taraxacum officinale. Dandelion (Taraxacum Officinale) - What many consider to be an obnoxious weed is actually a versatile herb that many gardeners enjoy in their herb gardens! We usually send them once a month. Dandelion Varieties. Purslane can often be found in moist garden beds, lawns, and shady areas, where it lies … Dandelions have at least two look-a-likes in our area, which can be considered second cousins once, maybe twice, removed from the common dandelion (or what I like to call true dandelion), which is naturalized from Europe. During the Second World War, when coffee was almost unobtainable, a substitute was made from the roasted and ground roots of Dandelions. There are perhaps 20-30 species which are easily and reliably learnt (e.g. From French dent-de-lion (“lion's tooth”), also in Late Latin dēns leōnis. It is not possible to identify a Dandelion to species from a single photograph. Dandelions mostly occur in disturbed habitats such as pastures, roadside verges, lawns, tracks, paths and waste ground. the attitude and dimensions of the outer involucral bracts (i.e. Rapid drying is essential if the true colours are to be preserved. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google. a radiator). I hope to discover more. Richards. Flowerheads usually yellow, solitary borne on hollow scape (stem). 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. Indeed, ecological characters are very significant for, given the habitat or locality, one can expect to find members of certain sections. A presentation given by Tim Rich at the BSBI Recorders' Conference 2018, gives an introduction to collecting dandelion specimens. diameter of the head when fully open (usually in sunshine). Section Spectabilia includes one common and widespread but very plastic species viz. Leaves produced later will be the âsummerâ leaves, and are usually larger and not of typical shape. Taxonomists argue over which species is which. 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. While you're getting started with dandelion identification, there are groups and individuals on social media who will help. 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. Bright yellow discs of tightly packed florets above a rosette of jaggedly toothed leaves are followed by fluffy white seed heads. The common dandelion is a most familiar flower: counting down the 'clock', while blowing the fluffy seeds from its head, is a favourite childhood game. Dandelions are widespread and stable throughout the British Isles. 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. Both species are edible in their entirety. Dandelions look best growing alongside other low growing meadow plants such as Lawn Daisy, Speedwell, Bulbous Buttercup, Self heal, Forget-me-nots, Birdsfoot trefoil, and Cowslips. Dandelion is a low growing species with a long flowering period from March to October. The plasticity of dandelions is such that it takes a great deal of experience to learn what a species can âdoâ, and there are a great many of them. 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. In terms of nutritional content, the dandelion patch in your … Dandelion seeds reveal newly discovered form of natural flight: Why the plant is among the best fliers in the natural world. You can change your mind by clicking a link we put in the emails. Pollinators love them for the nectar and pollen they provide early in the year. Common Types of Dandelion Plants. By its nature, the sectional division of Taraxacum produces much more âfuzzyâ categories than the species or genus, hence the sections must be keyed out using as many characters as possible, including ecological ones. 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.. View abstract. There are around 200 similar microspecies of the Dandelion genus in Britain, which really require an expert to identify them. Please note that each and every hedgerow item you come across may vary in appearance to these photos. whether erect, spreading, or recurved). 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. Conversely, the presence of some sections says a lot about the quality of the habitat! Commonly considered a weed, young dandelions provide excellent salad leaves (though larger, older leaves become bitter). Arthur Chater has compiled general advice on collecting and pressing specimens. The common dandelion is well known for its yellow flower heads that turn into round balls of silver-tufted fruits that disperse in the wind. T. faeroense (Dahlst.) The Dandelion herb plant grows from a tightly formed rosette and has a deep, twisted tap root that is rather brittle and breaks easily. Our illustrations are shown to represent the group. Taraxacum officinale, dandelion’s botanical name, has been derived from some Greek words referring to the medicinal characteristics of this species. leaf colour (shade of green), and whether blotched or spotted. If possible include both flowering and fruiting heads (especially Sect. Registered as a charity in England and Wales (1152954) and Scotland (SC038675) and as a company in England & Wales (8553976). The leaves are dark green, long and lance-shaped. It has been found in prehistoric deposits, and is recorded up to 2,700 ft in Britain. They grow wild all over Europe, the US and Asia. 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. March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October. Can be found almost anywhere and at any time of year. As mentioned above, this introduced European perennial is loaded with medicinal properties. A grass meadow in Spring beautified by thousands of dandelions. Such as pastures, roadside verges, lawns, tracks, paths waste. Florets above a rosette of jaggedly toothed leaves are dark green, long lance-shaped... Local âpatchâ might eventually yield 80-100 species, and casual introductions from elsewhere in Europe dandelion species uk. 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