Arctic grass vs Close-lobed dandelion

Arctagrostis latifolia compared with Taraxacum densilobum

Key Differences

• Arctic grass is Near Threatened while Close-lobed dandelion is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Arctic grass	Close-lobed dandelion
Kingdom same	Plantae (Plants)	Plantae (Plants)
Phylum same	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)
Class	Liliopsida (Monocots)	Magnoliopsida (Dicots)
Order	Poales (Grasses)	Asterales (Daisies & Sunflowers)
Family	Poaceae (Grass Family)	Asteraceae (Daisy Family)
Genus	Arctagrostis	Taraxacum
Species	Arctagrostis latifolia	Taraxacum densilobum

Evolutionary Relationship

Arctic grass and Close-lobed dandelion share a common ancestor at the Phylum level: Magnoliophyta. (Flowering Plants)

Conservation Status

Arctic grass

NT — Near Threatened

Close-lobed dandelion

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Arctic grass	Close-lobed dandelion
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Arctic grass

Habitat

Typically found in grasslands, wetlands, forests, and cultivated landscapes.

Range

Distributed across Norway and Sweden. Listed as Near Threatened, this species requires ongoing monitoring to prevent population decline.

Close-lobed dandelion

Habitat

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

Range

Distributed across Denmark, Norway, and Sweden.

Arctic grass

The Arctic grass (Arctagrostis latifolia) is a species in the genus Arctagrostis. It is currently classified as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List. Typically found in grasslands, wetlands, forests, and cultivated landscapes.

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.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 2 countries:

🇳🇴 Norway 🇸🇪 Sweden