Taraxacum expallidiforme

Taraxacum expallidiforme is a perennial herb belonging to the Taraxacum officinale aggregate, the group of apomictic microspecies collectively known as the common dandelion (family Asteraceae). Like other members of the aggregate it forms a basal rosette of oblanceolate leaves that are deeply and irregularly lobed or runcinate-pinnatifid, the lobes often backward-pointing, arising from a stout, fleshy taproot. The plant exudes a milky white latex when broken. Solitary flower heads are borne on hollow, leafless scapes and are composed entirely of golden-yellow ligulate (ray) florets, the outer involucral bracts reflexed or spreading. The fruit is a ribbed achene tapering to a slender beak that bears a parachute-like pappus of white hairs, forming the familiar spherical seed head dispersed by wind. As a microspecies it is distinguished from related dandelions by subtle, technical characters of leaf shape, bract posture, achene colour and pollen, and occupies grassland, meadow and disturbed ground.