Taraxacum bithynicum

Tutin, T. G., Heywood, V. H., Burges, N. A., Moore, D. M., Valentine, D. H., Walters, S. M. & Webb, D. A., 1976, Flora Europaea. Volume 4. Plantaginaceae to Compositae (and Rubiaceae), Cambridge University Press : 334-335

8. T. bithynicum group. Leaves 5-15 cm, oblanceolate to obovate, entire to lobed, horizontal, thick, glabrous or hairy beneath; lobes 6-7 on each side, patent, broad-based, often obtuse, dentate; petiole often purplish. Scapes 5-10 cm, numerous, slender, ascending or procumbent, glabrescent. Capitulum 10-25 mm in diameter. Involucre 9-12 x 7-10 mm; outer bracts broadly ovate, acuminate, ł to entirely scarious, suffused red or purple, more or less appressed, often conspicuously reticulate-veined, corniculate. Ligules short, wide, pale yellow with a red, purple or brown stripe. Achenes greyish-brown or strawcoloured; body 3 -5-4 mm, more or less tuberculate often throughout; cone short, conical; beak 4-7 mm, rather stout. Mainly autumn-flowering. Sexual or apomictic. S. Europe. Al Bu Co Cr Ga Gr Hs It Ju Lu Rs (W, K) Sa Si Tu.

T. bithynicum DC. , Prodr. 7: 149 (1838). Although this name has always been used for this group of plants in the aggregate sense, it has never been typified and it is uncertain to which of the segregates the name applies.

13 species have been described for Europe, mainly from S.W. & S.E. Europe. The following are the only 2 which are widespread:

T. megalorhizon (Forskâl) Hand.-Mazz. , Monogr. Taraxacum 35 (1907). Al Bu Co Cr Ga Gr Hs It Ju Lu Rs (W) Sa Tu.

T. minimum (Briganti ex Guss.) N. Terrace. , Atti Real Ist. Incoragg. Sci. Nat. Nap. ser. 2, 6: 352 (1869). 2n = 16. Ga Gr Hs It Lu Si.