- Taraxacum
Key to the species of Taraxacum
1Outermost involucral bracts appressed to the inner row, always with a clear white border (0.25–0.5 mm wide; ligules scarcely exceeding the innermost involucral bracts (section Australasica)2 1Outermost involucral bracts not appressed to the inner row, with at least the upper part spreading, recurved or reflexed, border present or absent; ligules mainly far exceeding the innermost involucral bracts3 2Cypselas smooth in the lower third (but longitudinal ribs present throughout)Taraxacum aristum 3Petiole and midribs clearly striate on upper surface (i.e. with interwoven purple and green strands visible with a ×5 lens); involucral bracts without a callus4 3Petiole and midribs green or uniformly purple on upper surface, not striate; involucral bracts with or without a callus6 4Outer involucral bracts glaucous above and dark green below, recurved to reflexed to different degrees in a single capitulumTaraxacum sect. Hamata → 4Outer involucral bracts not or very slightly glaucous above, green to light green below, erect to recurved to same degree in a single capitulum (section Celtica)5 5Scapes often bracteate, with bracts large and leaf-like; outermost involucral bracts narrow and laciniate, 1–2 mm wide; cypselas at least 3.5 mm longTaraxacum bracteatum 5Scapes usually ebracteate, rarely with one minute linear bract; outermost involucral bracts never both narrow and laciniate, 2–3 mm wide; cypselas less than 3.5 mm longTaraxacum subbracteatum 6Cypselas pale to dark red-brown, salmon or dark brown (section Erythrosperma)7 6Cypselas grey, straw-coloured, pale brown or olive-brown11 7Cypselas dark red-brown, up to 0.7 mm wide (including spines), with longest spines c. 0.4 mm long, spreading (± 45°) to recurvedTaraxacum gracilens 7Cypselas salmon, red-brown or dark brown, greater than 0.7 mm wide (including spines) with longest spines less than 0.4 mm long, mainly antrorse (at less than 45°)8 8Cypsela broadly fusiform, with body tapering abruptly into cone9 8Cypsela narrowly fusiform, with body tapering gradually into cone10 9Distal margins of at least some of the lateral leaf-lobes with 2–4 falcate lobules, proximal margins always entire; interlobes sparsely denticulate; outermost involucral bracts ovate-lanceolate to lanceolate, narrowly white bordered (c. 0.2 mm wide) with ciliolate marginsTaraxacum sarcidanum 10Cypselas red-brown, lower two thirds verrucate, rarely smooth; inner involucral bracts rarely callus-tipped; upper lateral leaf-lobes triangular to falcate, acute but never caudate, with distal margins entire to denticulateTaraxacum hepaticolor 10Cypselas salmon to dark red-brown, lower two thirds usually smooth, occasionally verrucate; inner involucral bracts callus-tipped; upper lateral leaf-lobes deltoid to deltoid-caudate, the tails often with expanded tips, with distal margins usually dentate to laciniateTaraxacum multidentatum 11Outer involucral bracts with a white border 0.3–0.5 mm wide, cordate to ovate-lanceolate12 11Outer involucral bracts unbordered or with a narrow white border up to 0.2 mm wide; linear-lanceolate to ovate13 12Cypsela length 3–5 mm; outer involucral bracts cordate to ovate-lanceolate, usually with a callusTaraxacum squamulosum 12Cypsela length 2.5–3 mm; outer involucral bracts ovate-lanceolate, usually without a callusTaraxacum retzii From: Scarlett, N.H. (2015). Taraxacum. In: Wilson, A. (Ed.), Flora of Australia 37, pp. 95-112. ABRS/CSIRO, Australia.
