Taraxacum officinale, May 13, 2023
In road, 10,400’, August 2, 2023
Common & scientific name
Dandelion, Taraxacum officinale
Family
Aster, Asteraceae
Location
Weller Curve, 9,400’
Fun, weird, helpful, or little known fact
Of Eurasian origin and now virtually everywhere, owing in part to the fact that its seeds remain viable for nine years or more, with a single plant producing more than 5,000 seeds a year. The good news: Dandelions are an important early spring food source for deer, elk, bear, and (maybe) moose? They are also incredibly tough and adaptable (see photo below left).
The Sunflower family is considered the most highly evolved of all flowering plants: what appears to be one “flower” actually consists of many tiny flowers aggregated together in a flower head consisting most commonly of ray flowers—the “petals”—and disk flowers—the “button” in the middle—in the case of the dandelion, just ray flowers. This aggregation strategy is thought to attract more pollinators.