Taraxacum officinale

Introduced From: Europe and Asia

Family: Asteraceae

Habitat: Lawns, roadsides, wastland, pasture and cultivated land

Uses: Leaves edible raw, roots can be roasted

Season: All year

References: Low (Weeds), Richardson and Shepherd

About Dandelion

A common weed of developed land. Leaves grow from a basal rosette. Closely resembles Hypochaeris sp. (Catsears), Crepis and Leontodon taraxacoides. It has smooth, hairless leaves that are deeply toothed, unlike Catsears, which are hairy and not so sharply toothed around the edges (more rounded).

Flowers are yellow and the tiny light seeds form into the familiar rounded shape that is seen in unmowed lawns everywhere.

I made the drawing as part of the Kamana Naturalist Training Program. It is not meant to be artistic or even particuluarly technically correct. The main purpose of drawing in the course is that it is a great aid to learning the identifying details of what you are drawing.

Photo: Kamana Naturalist Training Program.

Photo: Wentworth Falls, Blue Mountains NSW.

Photo: Wentworth Falls, Blue Mountains NSW.

See Also

Australian Mammals
Australian Birds
Australian Reptiles
Australian Frogs
Australian Fish
Australian Spiders and Their Faces

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