See text Taraxacum (/təˈræksəkəm/)[3] is a large genus of flowering plants in the family Asteraceae, which consists of species commonly known as dandelions.

[7] The common name dandelion (/ˈdændəlaɪ.ən/ DAN-də-ly-ən; from French dent-de-lion 'lion's tooth', referring to the jagged leaves) is also given to specific members of the genus.

In part due to their abundance, along with being a generalist species, dandelions are one of the most vital early spring nectar sources for a wide host of pollinators.

[10] In general, the leaves are 5–25 centimetres (2.0–9.8 in) long or longer, simple, lobed-to-pinnatisect, and form a basal rosette above the central taproot.

[17] A number of species of Taraxacum are seed-dispersed ruderals that rapidly colonize disturbed soil, especially the common dandelion (T. officinale), which has been introduced over much of the temperate world.

The dried petals and stamens drop off, the bracts reflex (curve backwards), and the parachute ball opens into a full sphere.

When development is complete, the mature seeds are attached to white, fluffy "parachutes" which easily detach from the seedhead and glide by wind, dispersing.

This allows the plume of seeds to close up and reduce the chance to separate from the stem, waiting for optimal conditions that will maximize dispersal and germination.

[17]: 740 Early-flowering dandelions may be distinguished from coltsfoot (Tussilago farfara) by their basal rosette of leaves, their lack of disc florets, and the absence of scales on the flowering stem.

[17]: 740 The genus is taxonomically complex due to the presence of apomixis: any morphologically distinct clonal population would deserve its own microspecies.

Phylogenetic approaches are also complicated by the accelerated mutation in apomixic lines and repeated ancient hybridization events in the genus.

[23] As of 1970, the group is divided into about 34 macrospecies or sections, and about 2000 microspecies;[24] some botanists take a much narrower view and only accept a total of about 60 (macro)species.

[25] Botanists specialising in the genus Taraxacum are sometimes called taraxacologists,[26] for example Gunnar Marklund, Johannes Leendert van Soest or A.J.

[47] The English folk name "piss-a-bed" (and indeed the equivalent French pissenlit) refers to the strong diuretic effect of the plant's roots.

In Swedish, it is called maskros (worm rose) after the nymphs of small insects (thrips larvae) usually present in the flowers.

[50] Raw dandelion greens contain high amounts of vitamins A, C, and K, and are moderate sources of calcium, potassium, iron, and manganese.

[51] The raw flowers contain diverse phytochemicals, including polyphenols, such as flavonoids apigenin, isoquercitrin (a quercetin-like compound), and caffeic acid, as well as terpenoids, triterpenes, and sesquiterpenes.

[citation needed] The entire plant, including the leaves, stems, flowers, and roots, is edible and rich in nutrients such as calcium, iron, and vitamins A and K.[56] Dandelions grow wild on every continent except Antarctica.

T. megalorhizon, a species endemic to Crete, is eaten in the same way; it is found only at high altitudes (1,000–1,600 metres (3,300–5,200 ft)) and in fallow sites, and is called pentaramia (πενταράμια) or agrioradiko (αγριοράδικο).

Rabbits, wild turkeys, white-tailed deer, eastern chipmunks, bobwhite quail, and many species of bird will consume the seeds and foliage.

[83] The ability of dandelion seeds to travel as far as a kilometer in dry, windy and warm conditions, has been an inspiration for designing light-weight passive drones.

[18] This work provided evidence that dandelion seeds have fluid behavior around fluid-immersed bodies that may help understand locomotion, weight reduction and particle retention in biological and man-made structures.

In 2022, researchers at the University of Washington demonstrated battery-free wireless sensors and computers that mimic dandelion seeds and can float in the wind and disperse across a large area.

Using modern cultivation methods and optimization techniques, scientists in the Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology (IME) in Germany developed a cultivar of the Russian dandelion that is suitable for current commercial production of natural rubber.

[86] In December 2017, Linglong Group Co. Ltd., a Chinese company, invested $450 million into making commercially viable rubber from dandelions.