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Published In: Enumeratio Plantarum 75. 1821. (Enum. Pl.) Name publication detailView in Biodiversity Heritage Library
 

Project Name Data (Last Modified On 8/11/2017)
Acceptance : Accepted
Project Data     (Last Modified On 7/9/2009)
Status: Introduced

 

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1. Taraxacum erythrospermum Andrz. ex Besser (red-seeded dandelion)

T. laevigatum (Willd.) DC.

T. laevigatum f. scapifolium F.C. Gates & S.F. Prince

Pl. 263 a; Map 1099

Stems 2–25 cm long. Leaves (3–)6–25 cm long, almost always very deeply lobed (nearly compound), except on small plants. Involucre 10–20(–25) mm long, the inner series of bracts mostly 11–18, the outer series usually less than half to about half as long as the inner series. Fruits with the body 2.5–4.0 mm long, dull brick red to reddish or purplish brown at maturity. 2n=16, 22, 24, 26, 32. January–December.

Introduced, scattered nearly throughout the state (native of Europe, introduced nearly throughout temperate North America). Banks of streams and rivers, openings of dry upland forests, margins of glades, and disturbed sand prairies; also lawns, gardens, crop fields, fallow fields, pastures, roadsides, railroads, and open, disturbed areas.

There is widespread disagreement on the correct name for this taxon. Many authors have continued to call these plants T. laevigatum (Barkley, 1986), but Shinners (1949) suggested that the original description of that name did not describe the plant that has been naturalized in North America. He suggested instead the epithet T. erythrospermum, which has also been adopted in most of the recent literature on dandelions in Europe. However, both of these names are of uncertain application, as type specimens still have not been designated for them. The nomenclatural situation merits further research. Gates and Prince (1938) studied an unusual mutant ascribed to this species from Stone County that they named f. scapifolium, which was characterized by leafy stems as well as leaflike bracts subtending the heads. This odd form has not been seen since their initial discovery, and to avoid confusion it has not been included in the descriptions of the genus and species above.

This species is somewhat less commonly encountered in Missouri than is T. officinale. Steyermark (1963) suggested the existence of hybrids between the two species of dandelion in Missouri, but this could not be confirmed during the present study. In the absence of mature fruits, Missouri plants of the two dandelions are nearly impossible to distinguish. Individuals of T. erythrospermum tend to be slightly smaller plants than those of T. officinale and are more likely to have all of the leaves deeply lobed all the way to the rachis. They also are more likely to occur in sandy soils. However, T. officinale is so variable in its morphology and habitats that there is almost total overlap between the species.

 


 

 
 
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