Taraxacum officinale

The bright yellow flowers of a dandelion remind people of a lion’s mane, but the plant is named for the “teeth of a lion” (“dents de lion” in French) found along the jagged edges of its leaves. The flower opens in the morning and closes in the evening. After all the tiny blossoms on the flowerhead have bloomed, it closes for a few days and the stem grows longer. Then the dandelion opens to reveal its seed-bearing or “puffball” stage. European settlers— who used dandelion roots as a coffee substitute, the leaves for food and medicine, and the blossoms for wine— introduced the flower to America.

Cool Links:

Blowing in the Wind - A comprehensive guide to wind dispersal of seeds.  Includes many examples with photos and links to other resources.

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photos: Mike Dunn