Rank Species | Genus Taraxacum Higher classification Dandelion | |
Similar Dandelion, Daisy family, Taraxacum erythrospermum |
Taraxacum californicum, also known as the California dandelion, is an endangered species of dandelion endemic to the San Bernardino Mountains of California. It grows in mountain meadows.
Taraxacum californicum is a small perennial wildflower which resembles its close relative, the widespread weed known as the common dandelion (T. officinale). T. californicum has green, red-veined, lobed, or toothed leaves and yellow flower heads yielding brown and white fruits.
There are fewer than twenty occurrences known of the plant, and several occurrences include just a few individuals. The plant can hybridize with common dandelion, causing genetic pollution.


References
Taraxacum californicum Wikipedia(Text) CC BY-SA