alpine dandelion vs Claw-lobed Dandelion

Taraxacum scopulorum compared with Taraxacum unguilobum

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	alpine dandelion	Claw-lobed Dandelion
Kingdom same	Plantae (Plants)	Plantae (Plants)
Phylum same	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)
Class same	Magnoliopsida (Dicots)	Magnoliopsida (Dicots)
Order same	Asterales (Daisies & Sunflowers)	Asterales (Daisies & Sunflowers)
Family same	Asteraceae (Daisy Family)	Asteraceae (Daisy Family)
Genus same	Taraxacum	Taraxacum
Species	Taraxacum scopulorum	Taraxacum unguilobum

Evolutionary Relationship

alpine dandelion and Claw-lobed Dandelion share a common ancestor at the Genus level: Taraxacum.

Conservation Status

alpine dandelion

NE — Not Evaluated

Claw-lobed Dandelion

NE — Not Evaluated

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	alpine dandelion	Claw-lobed Dandelion
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

alpine dandelion

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial habitats from tropical forests to temperate regions.

Range

Found in Canada.

Claw-lobed Dandelion

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial habitats from tropical forests to temperate regions.

Range

Distributed across Norway and Sweden.

alpine dandelion

The Alpine dandelion (Taraxacum scopulorum) is a species in the genus Taraxacum. Typically found in diverse terrestrial habitats from tropical forests to temperate regions. Found in Canada.

Claw-lobed Dandelion

The Claw-Lobed Dandelion, Taraxacum lacistophyllum, is a perennial herb in the family Asteraceae native to Europe, where it occurs in grasslands, meadow margins, roadsides, and disturbed ground. Like all dandelions, it produces a rosette of deeply lobed leaves with a milky sap, a hollow flowering stem bearing a single yellow composite flowerhead, and a globe of feathery achenes dispersed by wind. The species epithet lacistophyllum refers to the deeply divided, almost lacerate appearance of the leaf lobes, which distinguishes it from related dandelion microspecies. Taraxacum is a remarkably complex genus comprising thousands of apomictic microspecies, most of which reproduce without fertilization and produce genetically identical offspring from seeds. This reproductive strategy allows rapid colonization of disturbed habitats and contributes to the extraordinary diversity of the genus in temperate regions. The Claw-Lobed Dandelion provides an important early-season nectar and pollen resource for bees and other pollinators. The roots and leaves are edible and have a long history of use in European folk medicine and cuisine. The species is not considered threatened; it adapts readily to human-modified landscapes and is tolerant of mowing, grazing, and soil compaction.