Taraxacum lucidum “Large-bracted Dandelion”
Section: Ruderalia
Probable native. A scarce plant typically of semi-natural habitats such as humid species-rich grasslands on heavy soils, water meadows on flood plains etc., but also sometimes as a weed, e.g. in gardens. Mostly in Wales and western England, concentrated around the Severn Valley.
A medium-sized dandelion with ascending to erect spathulate leaves of a rather lustrous dark green with a red mid-rib. Petioles shining reddish purple, narrowly winged at base. Leaf side-lobes 1-3, broad, dentate, sigmoid, sometimes obscure or almost absent. Leaf end-lobe long, rounded, more or less entire. Exterior bracts broad, bordered, spreading to gently recurved. Capitulum rather dark yellow, about 45 mm in diameter when fully expanded. T. lucidum is difficult to confuse with other members of section Ruderalia, but might be mistaken for T. bracteatum (suberect bracts in section Celtica) or T. boekmanii in section Hamata. The latter has more leaf side-lobes and smaller bracts.