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Taraxacum ceratophorum. Synonym: Taraxacum ovinum, Taraxacum eriophorum. (Horned Alpine Dandelion) Asteraceae (Sunflower Family) Alpine.
Tundra. Summer, fall. Taraxacum ceratophorum typically grows 4-7 inches tall on alpine tundra. The plant is found throughout the Rockies, in most western states, and across all of Canada. In some of these habitats it may reach 20 inches tall. The Flora of North America indicates that this species "is the most widespread native dandelion in North America, ranging from the low Arctic and boreal zone to the western Cordilleras, in the montane and alpine zones". This species was first named Leontodon ceratophorus by Karl Ledebour in 1829 from specimens collected in Kamchatka and was renamed Taraxacum ceratophorum by Augustin de Candolle in 1838. Greek gives us both "cerat" and "phoros" for "horn" and "bearing", alluding to the often swollen phyllary tips. |
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Taraxacum ceratophorum. Synonym: Taraxacum ovinum, Taraxacum eriophorum. (Horned Alpine Dandelion) Alpine.
Tundra. Summer, fall. The flower stem on this species is cobwebby hairy when young but may be glabrous with age. Phyllaries are in one or two rows, two here. The outer phyllaries are much shorter than the inner. Both have dark tips. The inner phyllaries have scarious (thin and not green) margins that reflex as the ray petals enlarge. Most importantly in separating this Taraxacum species from others are the horned, i.e., cupped or swollen tips on many of the red-tinged phyllaries. The best way to see these horns is to look at the phyllary tips on the far right and far left of each flower head in these photographs. |
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Taraxacum scopulorum. Synonym: Taraxacum lyratum. (Alpine Dandelion) Alpine.
Tundra. Summer, fall. Taraxacum scopulorum grows to no more than two inches tall but its leaves may be from two to ten inches long. In contrast to T. ceratophorum (shown above) the flower stem on this species is not hairy, i.e., it is "glabrous". Phyllaries of this species are not horned at their tips and are not scarious margined. Phyllaries in the outer row are broadly triangular, often red-margined, and much shorter than the inner phyllaries. Leaves are deeply incised. |
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Taraxacum scopulorum. Synonym: Taraxacum lyratum. (Alpine Dandelion) Alpine.
Tundra. Summer, fall. In 1884 Asa Gray described this species and named it Taraxacum officinale var. scopulorum. In 1900 Per Axel Rydberg renamed it Taraxacum scopulorum. "Scopulorum" is Latin for "rocky places". |
Range map © John Kartesz,
County Color Key
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Range map for Taraxacum ceratophorum
Range map for Taraxacum scopulorum |
Species present in state and native
Species present in state and exotic
Species not present in state
Species present and not rare
Species present and rare
Species extirpated (historic)
Species extinct
Species noxious
Species exotic and present
Eradicated
Questionable presence
