Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale G.H. Weber ex Wiggers) is a perennial herbaceous plant belonging to the family Asteraceae found in North America, Europe, and Asia (Stewart-Wade et al. 2002; Di Napoli and Zucchetti, 2021). The genus Taraxacum was described by Wiggers (1746–1811), and the current classification was established by Georg Heinrich Weber in 1780 (Britton and Brown, 1970).
Dandelions typically bloom in early spring and are commonly considered as weeds in gardens, lawns, agricultural lands, and wastelands. However, they also hold value beyond their status as weeds. The leaves of dandelions are edible and are used as a food source in various culinary preparations. Additionally, the plant possesses medicinal properties attributed to the presence of phytochemicals in its leaves, flowers, and roots (Di Napoli and Zucchetti, 2021).
Dandelion blooms play a significant role in providing pollen and nectar to early pollinators, particularly bees, during the early spring season (Vanderplanck et al. 2020). This makes them an important resource for bees and contributes to the overall ecosystem by supporting pollination and the health of bee populations.
Dandelions can have significant impact on the production of food and forage crops. They can compete with desired plants for resources such as nutrients, water, and sunlight, leading to reduced yields in agricultural fields (McPeek and Wang, 2007). Additionally, their presence can detract from the aesthetics of lawns and gardens.
One of the reasons dandelions are successful as weeds is their ability to survive mowing, grazing, and competition with grasses. The rosette structure of dandelion plants allows them to persist even when subjected to these disturbances (Baker, 1974). The rosette form helps them withstand the effects of mowing or grazing by enabling re-growth from the roots.
Dandelions have a reproductive strategy that involves colonizing gaps in grasslands and other communities through seed dispersal (CABI, 2019). The visible stages of a dandelion's life cycle include the vegetative plant stage, flowering stage, seed head development stage, seed development stage, and seed dispersal stage. The seeds are dispersed by the wind to continue the life cycle.
Regarding the leaves of dandelions, they form a basal rosette arrangement where the leaves radiate from a central point (Holm et al. 1997). The leaves exhibit considerable variation in shape, ranging from lobeless to toothed edges or highly incised. The size of the leaves can vary as well, typically measuring between 5 and 40 cm in length and 0.7 to 15 cm in width. The leaves taper to a winged, petiolar base (Gleason, 1963; Holm et al. 1997).
The basal rosette of dandelions gives rise to tall, glabrous, hollow scapes, also known as peduncles. These scapes are cylindrical in shape and range in height from 5 to 50 cm. They taper in diameter from the base to the tip (Gleason, 1963; Holm et al. 1997). Each scape bears a terminal inflorescence called a capitulum, which is approximately 2 to 5 cm in diameter (Holm et al. 1997). The capitulum is composed of numerous ligulate, perfect, yellow florets, which are the individual flowers of the inflorescence (Holm et al. 1997).
During the blooming stage, the scape elongates and reaches its maximum height. However, as the seeds begin to mature, the scape bends down close to the ground. This bending behavior helps protect the developing seeds from being damaged by lawnmowers or grazers (Richardson, 1985). Once the seeds are nearly mature, the scape undergoes another elongation, reaching up to 75 cm in height. This height increase maximizes the effectiveness of seed dispersal by wind (Jackson, 1982; Richardson, 1985).
Dandelions are equipped with deep taproots that can extend below the level of competing grass roots. This deep root system makes it challenging to remove the plants manually because they can re-grow from the persistent root if not entirely removed (Lovell and Rowan, 1991; Stewart-Wade et al., 2002).
Dandelion seeds have a remarkable adaptation for wind dispersal. Each seed is attached to a bundle of bristly filaments called a pappus. The pappus functions to enhance drag and facilitate the seed's journey through the air. It helps prolong the descent of the seed, allowing it to be carried further by horizontal winds.
The structure of the pappus also plays a role in orienting the seed as it falls. The air flow between the bristles of the pappus creates a low-pressure vortex. This vortex moves above the pappus without being attached to it. It generates lift, effectively counteracting the force of gravity and slowing down the descent of the seed. As a result, the seed can remain airborne for longer periods, increasing the distance it can travel. Studies have shown that under optimal wind conditions, dandelion seeds can travel distances of up to 150 kilometers (Cummins et al. 2018). This efficient wind dispersal mechanism allows dandelions to colonize new areas and spread their seeds over a wide range, contributing to their success as a weed and their ability to populate various environments.
Dandelions have successfully adapted to grow in temperate conditions; they are now a common occurrence in the Northern hemisphere, especially during early spring. It is not understood how the dandelions have successfully adapted to the environment, especially in the suburban areas. In this paper we show the successful morphological adaptations of dandelion to grow in the suburban environments.