Taraxacum rubifolium

Taraxacum species are tap-rooted, perennial, herbaceous plants, native to temperate areas of the Northern Hemisphere. The genus contains many species, which usually (or in the case of triploids, obligately) reproduce by apomixis, resulting in many local populations and endemism. In the British Isles alone, 234 microspecies (i.e. morphologically distinct clonal populations) are recognised in nine loosely defined sections. A number of Taraxacum species can act as ruderals, pioneer species that rapidly colonise disturbed soil. The common dandelion (T. officinale) has been introduced over much of the temperate world, and it is especially effective at spreading along roads, cemeteries, lawns, and pastures. A week or two after flowering, the dandelion's flower becomes a round seed head. The bracts, specialized leaves around the flower, curve backwards. The parachute ball fully opens into a sphere, and the yellow petals fall away. When development is complete, the mature seeds are attached to white, fluffy "parachutes", which easily detach from the seed head and glide on the wind, dispersing.

In general, the leaves are 5–25 centimetres (2.0–9.8 in) long or longer, simple, lobed-to-pinnatisect, forming a basal rosette above the central taproot. The flower heads range from yellow to orange, and are typically open during sunlight and\or on warmer days, but closed at night. …

Dandelions do not depend on wildlife for distribution or pollination; however much of wildlife benefits from the abundance of the plant. Rabbits, wild turkeys, white-tailed deer, eastern chipmunks, bobwhite quail, and many species of bird will consume the seeds and foliage. Additionally, many insects will collect nectar from the flower, especially in early spring when there are very few other flowers in bloom.

Seeds. Taraxacum seeds are an important food source for certain birds (linnets, Linaria spp.).

Nectar. Szabo studied nectar secretion in a dandelion patch over two years (59.2 and 8.9 flowers per square metre (5.50 and 0.83/sq ft) in 1981 and 1982). He measured average nectar volume at 7.4 μl/flower in 1981 and 3.7 μl/flower in 1982. The flowers tended to open in the morning and close in the afternoon with the concentrations significantly higher on the second day.

Leaves. Insects eat the leaves of dandelions, especially species of Lepidoptera, which includes butterflies and moths. A study in Kargil, India, found that the most frequent insect visitors to dandelions were butterflies followed by species of Hymenoptera and Diptera.

Dandelion has been used in traditional medicine in Europe, North America, and China. However, at this point, there is no clear scientific evidence of efficacy for any health condition. The root of the dandelion is a plentiful source of the fiber inulin, which encourages the movement of food in the digestive system.

The Latin name Taraxacum derives from the Arabic tarakhshaqūn, meaning "bitter herb". The Arabic term is possibly of Persian origin. Persian polymath Al-Razi used the word tarakhshaqūn in relation to dandelions, chicory, and endives. Al-Razi wrote "the tarakhshaqūn is like chicory, but more efficacious"; it is unclear exactly to which plant Al-Razi referred however. If Persian in origin, the word could have originally meant "bitter purslane" from تلک (talk, 'bitter') and چکش (chakūk, 'purslane'). Gerard of Cremona, in translating Arabic to Latin around 1170, spelled it tarasacon. The English name, dandelion, is a borrowing of the French dent de lion meaning "lion's tooth", referring to the coarsely toothed leaves. The plant is also known as blowball, cankerwort, doon-head-clock, witch's gowan, milk witch, lion's-tooth, yellow-gowan, Irish daisy, monks-head, priest's-crown, and puff-ball; other common names include faceclock, pee-a-bed, wet-a-bed, swine's snout, white endive, and wild endive. The English folk name "piss-a-bed" (and the equivalent French pissenlit) refers to the strong diuretic effect of the plant's leaves. In Swedish, it is called maskros (worm rose) after the thrip nymphs usually present on the plant.