Variable-leaved Dandelion - Taraxacum curtifrons
Favourite Photos
Species Description
Rare and scattered in England and Wales though it will be under-recorded. Habitat includes: sown grassland, transport hubs, wasteland, base of walls etc.
ID:
A generally squat sturdy looking plant with smallish oblong-lanceolate leaves (bright green when new), comprised of few (3-5) lateral lobes (dentate on proximal's) which have a characteristic '2-angled' curve - starting off facing fairly straight in one direction at the proximal end before turning suddenly again at a steeper angle so that they face more downwards. The end of the proximal margin is also often accompanied by a shallow 'bump', causing the tip to look broader and curve upwards, finishing it acute and almost patent. Interlobes are semi-circular and often blotched (occasionally not). Terminal lobes are usually very broad and 'Darth Vader' helmit-shaped with a rounded but sometimes pointed apex. Petioles winged and white with usually pink midribs.
Confusion Species:
T. cyanolepis can look very similar but differs in having lateral lobes more arched at an upward angle and shaped shallowly sigmoid, ending facing patent and obtuse (not acute); much larger capitulas (about 55 mm as opose to around 40-45 mm), different coloured ligules: red-purple with red tips, not grey-purple with yellow teeth and exterior bracts of a different colour and posture, being suffused heavily bluish-purple, spreading and facing on around one plane, not 'blushed' violet, recurved-sigmoid and 'messy'.