"Stewart Robert Hinsley" wrote in message
...
In message , "Rev \"Fragile Warrior\""
writes
"Stewart Robert Hinsley" wrote in message
...
In message , "Rev \"Fragile Warrior\""
writes
He's right. We have them here, too, and I mentioned them last summer in
here. Not only are there multiple heads joined together like multiple
Siamese Twins, the stem going up to the flower is abnormally wide, too,
like
it is multiple stems merged together. They are dandelions. I know what
a
dandelion looks like.
Giselle
What you describe is, I think, a fasciated dandelion. What the OP
describes does not sound like the same. "Giant dandelion" suggsts to me
something in the Hieracium/Crepis/Hypochoeris area; "tight cluster of
flower heads" a Sonchus (Sow Thistle), but I find the whole of Lactuceae
difficult to identify.
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Stewart Robert Hinsley
Okay, you've got me hooked: what's a fasciated dandelion?
Giselle
http://www.agron.iastate.edu/~weeds/...dID/dlion.html
Fasciation is a phenotypic variation which turns up in a variety of
plants. (I've seen it in dandelions, but I think the last I saw was a
Daphne). In some cases it's a genetic mutation; in others it's a
developmental aberration of plant growth, caused by herbicides, herbivore
damage, or whatever. In fasciation stems become flattened and ribbon-like.
In dandelion, where there are no vegetative stems (of any length) it
affects the peduncle (flower stalk), which is homologous to a stem. As the
dandelion "flower" is a compound inflorescence the fasciated condition, by
changing the shape of the base of the inflorescence also distorts the
inflorescence into a ribbon shape.
You can find more detail with Google - "fasciation in plants" or
"fasciation dandelion".
--
Stewart Robert Hinsley
Yep, after looking at the photo in the link, that's exactly what we had. I
once found one that had over 10 heads and a stem over an inch wide. I did
dry some of them but they look a lot less impressive when dry.
The area is now a pasture so I guess we won't be seeing much of them in the
future. Thanks for the link and explanation!
Giselle (and everyone in here thought I was nuts *sheesh*
)