Close-lobed dandelion vs European hare

Taraxacum densilobum compared with Lepus europaeus

Key Differences

Close-lobed dandelion is Least Concern while European hare is Near Threatened.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Close-lobed dandelion	European hare
Kingdom	Plantae (Plants)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Magnoliopsida (Dicots)	Mammalia (Mammals)
Order	Asterales (Daisies & Sunflowers)	Lagomorpha (Rabbits & Hares)
Family	Asteraceae (Daisy Family)	Leporidae (Rabbits & Hares)
Genus	Taraxacum	Lepus
Species	Taraxacum densilobum	Lepus europaeus

Conservation Status

Close-lobed dandelion

LC — Least Concern

European hare

NT — Near Threatened

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Close-lobed dandelion	European hare
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Close-lobed dandelion

Habitat

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

Range

Distributed across Denmark, Norway, and Sweden.

European hare

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, tropical and subtropical dry broadleaf forests, and tropical and subtropical coniferous forests, among 7 distinct biome types within the Neotropic biogeographic realm. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Widely distributed across Europe (10 countries), North America (4 countries), and South America (8 countries). Listed as Near Threatened, this species requires ongoing monitoring to prevent population decline.

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.

European hare

European hare (Lepus europaeus) is classified as Near Threatened (NT) on the IUCN Red List. Close to qualifying as threatened, with populations that may become vulnerable without conservation action.