Fauna Report: Dandelions

Kelsey Roberts
3/21/08 Science pd. 7


Dandelions

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Dandelions, or Taraxacum officinale, are an obnoxious weed that tend to dominate my backyard. They are able to self-fertilize without pollination, and therefore, the plants are identical to their parent plant. Dandelions are small, flowering plants, with stems usually four to thirty cm in height and leaves that extend five to twenty five cm. Though they produce bright yellow flowers, in the case of the dandelion, looks are deceiving, for they are deadly neighbors. The leaves of a dandelion block sunlight from any surrounding vegetation, causing it to die. Many farmers and gardeners despise dandelions, because they hinder growth of their desired vegetation. In killing their neighboring plants, they cause the biodiversity level to decrease.
The flowers are typically two to five cm in diameter. Initially, they are yellow, but upon maturity, the flowers become white with several seeds that are attached to a bunch of fine hairs. When the flowers are immature, they tend to open during the day, but close during the night. The matured form of the dandelion greatly contributes to their tenacity. The umbrella-like characteristics of the fine hairs of the white flowers allow them to be easily dispersed by wind. This enables dandelion populations to spread over large areas quickly.
Despite their dominant tendencies, dandelions can also benefit the ecosystem through providing a vital source of pollen and nectar to the honey bee population during the earlier months of the summer, when dandelions are most common. Dandelions still randomly flower all year round when permitted by the climate. In addition to my backyard, the species is also commonly found in pastures, fields, and on waste ground throughout temperate regions of the world.