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(Last Modified On 6/20/2013)
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(Last Modified On 6/20/2013)
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Species
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Taraxacum officinale Weber ex Wiggers
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PlaceOfPublication
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Prim. Fl. Holst. 56. 1780
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Note
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based on Leontodon taraxacum L.
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Synonym
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Leontodon taraxacum L., Sp. P1. 798. 1753. TYPE: not seen. Leontodon vulgare Lam., Fl. Francoise 2: 113. 1778, renaming of L. taraxacum L. Taraxacum vulgare (Lam.) Schrank, Baiersche Reise 11. 1786. Taraxacum dens-leonis Desf., Fl. Atlant. 2: 228. 1799.
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Description
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Herbs with a stout rootstock and milky sap. Leaves mostly basal, alternate, oblong, to 15 (-25) cm long, lacerate, the lobes and teeth acute, often reflexed, narrowed into a distinct, flattened petiole, glabrate, the midvein prominent and the lateral veins weak; petiole slightly winged at the base, sometimes ciliate. Inflorescence scapose; peduncle terete, hollow, 1-20 cm long, yellowish or reddish, or sparingly pilose with arachnoid hairs, ebracteate. Heads showy yellow, ligulate, 3 (-4) cm across; involucre of numerous, dimorphic bracts, the outermost in ca. 3 series, short, acute, recurving, free, sometimes reddish-tipped, the innermost in ca. 1 series, linear-acute, ciliolate, 10-15 mm long, slightly overlapping and valvate, connate in the basal half, glabrate, the tips often reddish, deflexed in fruit; receptacle naked, white, 5-10 mm across, alveolate, the persistent carpopodia sometimes conspicuous; florets numerous, 15-20 mm long, all fertile, dimorphic, the outermost 1-3 series with corollas much exceeding the involucral bracts, the ligule linear, 5-denticulate, dorsally brown with yellow margins, ventrally yellow,
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Habit
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Herbs
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Description
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the base of the tube and apex of the limb sparingly pilose outside, the stamens brownish yellow, the appendages dark, acute, basally connate, basally sagittate, the filaments glabrous, the ovary tuberculate, the beak apically expanded to the diameter of the cylindrical nectary, the style apically darker, pubescent, the branches dark, ascending-pubescent; inner florets with corollas not exceeding the involucral bracts, yellow, glabrate, the anthers yellow, the appendages yellow, obtuse, basally tailed, the style branches scarcely darkened, ascending-pilose, the ovary larger than that of the outermost floret, less tuberculate, the nectary similar. Achenes all alike, yellowish, sulcate, apically tuberculate-barbed, the body ca. 3 mm long, the beak ca. 8 mm long, basally thickened and sulcate, terete above, basally broader; pappus of numerous, white, strigose bristles in several similar series surrounding the naked, flat beak apex.
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Note
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This species may be recognized by its showy, yellow heads and beaked achenes. Native of the Old World, it is a near cosmopolitan weed, of frequent occurrence in temperate regions and in upland Chiriqui. The leaves are used in other countries for salads and for making wine. The immature heads have been pickled for a condiment or boiled as a vegetable, and the root has been used as a coffee adulterant. Latex of another Old World species has been used for rubber. The flowers are reported as a good nectar source for honey bees. This species is normally apomictic, and although showy with rich pollen and nectar rewards, plants are seldom fertilized by their frequent insect visitors. Outcrossing is exceptional.
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Common
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Dandelion Diente de Leon
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Specimen
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CHIRIQUI: Boquete, D'Arcy & D'Arcy 4659 (MO); Dwyer 7041 (MO).
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Tag
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Project Name
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