Taraxacum gracilens

Leaves lanceolate, 10–15 cm long, 25–50 mm wide, sparsely arachnoid; lateral lobes in 3 or 4 pairs, deltoid often with ± linear attenuate tips, distal margins of upper 2–3 lobes usually laciniate, often with 1 or 2 longer ± parallel lobules, proximal margins entire; petioles rose-purple, not winged. Scapes 4–7 cm long at anthesis, 11–20 cm long in fruit. Capitula c. 4.5 cm diam.; outer bracts ovate-lanceolate to lanceolate, 7–9 mm long, 2–3 mm wide, patent to reflexed, with white borders 0.25–0.5 mm wide, sparsely ciliolate marginally, callus-tipped; innermost bracts linear, c. 15 mm long, 1–1.5 mm wide, callus-tipped. Outer ligules flat exceeding involucre by c. 10 mm; anthers with pollen; stigmas dull-green. Cypselas narrowly fusiform, 3.8–4.25 mm long, 0.5–0.7 mm wide, dark red-brown, with slender spines ± 0.4 mm long, spreading at ± 45º to reflexed at apex, muricate in lower two thirds; cone cylindrical, 1–1.3 mm long; beak 8–10 mm long; pappus 5–7 mm long. Flowers Aug.–Nov.