alpine silverwort vs Close-lobed dandelion

Anthelia julacea compared with Taraxacum densilobum

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	alpine silverwort	Close-lobed dandelion
Kingdom same	Plantae (Plants)	Plantae (Plants)
Phylum	Marchantiophyta (liverwort)	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)
Class	Jungermanniopsida (Jungermanniopsida)	Magnoliopsida (Dicots)
Order	Jungermanniales (Jungermanniales)	Asterales (Daisies & Sunflowers)
Family	Antheliaceae	Asteraceae (Daisy Family)
Genus	Anthelia	Taraxacum
Species	Anthelia julacea	Taraxacum densilobum

Evolutionary Relationship

alpine silverwort and Close-lobed dandelion share a common ancestor at the Kingdom level: Plantae. (Plants)

View Kingdom: Plantae

Conservation Status

alpine silverwort

LC — Least Concern

Close-lobed dandelion

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	alpine silverwort	Close-lobed dandelion
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

alpine silverwort

Habitat

Native to Europe, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

Range

Distributed across Norway and Sweden.

Close-lobed dandelion

Habitat

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

Range

Distributed across Denmark, Norway, and Sweden.

alpine silverwort

The Alpine silverwort (Anthelia julacea) is a species in the genus Anthelia. It is currently classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. Native to Europe, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region. Distributed across Norway and Sweden.

Close-lobed dandelion

Close-lobed dandelion refers to a microspecies within the extraordinarily diverse aggregate Taraxacum officinale sensu lato (family Asteraceae), the common dandelion complex. Dandelions are notoriously complex taxonomically due to widespread apomixis — asexual seed production without fertilization — which generates thousands of clonal microspecies that are morphologically distinguishable but reproductively isolated. Close-lobed forms are characterized by leaf lobes that are positioned closely together, with shorter spaces between the lobes than in more deeply divided or open-lobed morphs. This leaf morphology is one of dozens of characters — including lobe shape, involucre bract posture, achene color, and scape characteristics — used by Taraxacum specialists to delineate the hundreds or thousands of named microspecies. Dandelions of all morphologies are ecologically important as early-season nectar and pollen sources for bumblebees, honeybees, and numerous other pollinators. Their deep taproots break up compacted soils and bring nutrients from depth, and their seeds provide food for finches and other seed-eating birds across open habitats in temperate regions.