Taraxacum officinale F.H.Wigg.

Perennial rosette herb. Lvs all basal, linear-oblanceolate to obovate, runcinate-pinnatifid to not lobed, toothed, glabrous or with sparse short multicellular hairs especially on midrib above, 5–30–(60) × 1–10–(12) cm; terminal lobe triangular to deltoid, acute or obtuse, truncate or hastate at base; lateral lobes narrowly to broadly triangular, usually recurved, often toothed, especially on distal margin; petiole and proximal part of midrib hollow. Scape stout, hollow, glabrous or cobwebby, 3–35–(60) cm tall. Capitula 3–5 cm diam. Involucral bracts glabrous; outer bracts narrowly obovate, attenuate, dull green or reddish, strongly reflexed to recurved at flowering and fruiting, with margins not scarious; inner bracts narrowly triangular to linear, acute, green, erect, with scarious margins at least at base. Florets golden yellow. Achene body cream to greenish brown, ribbed, clavate, 2.5–3.5 mm long; ribs each with 3–(5) teeth on distal ⅓, the distal teeth longest; cone tapering, 0.5–1 mm long, concolorous with body; beak usually white to cream, rarely dark, slender, 7–10 mm long. Pappus white, 5–7 mm long.

[From: Webb et al. (1988) Flora of New Zealand. Volume 4.]

Flowering: (Jul.)–Sep.–May–(Jun.); Fruiting: (Jul.)–Sep.–May–(Jun.)