Talk:Dandelion

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Dandelion is either included in the 2006 Wikipedia CD Selection or is a candidate for inclusion in the next version (the project page is at WPCD Selection). Please maintain high quality standards, and if possible stick to GFDL and GFDL-compatible images.

from the article: "found in most gardens during the summer months" -- I find it hard to believe that dandelions are found in gardens in all parts of the world. I know of them in Europe; beyond that I have no idea. Could someone clarify? --Tarquin

Dandelions are present in America, Australia, New Zealand, India, China and Canada and are seen in Japanese recipes - is there anywhere they aren't? Maybe desert climates? They are very widespread because they are used as medicine and cuisine. Many people don't see them as weeds. --rmhermen

Thanks. I just thought we should check. They're weeds in my garden... ;-) -- Tarquin

point taken about weeds. NPOVed to say considered as weeds. Tarquin

RM, I live in a desert climate (Clovis, NM) and they thrive here. Marc W. Abel

They are widespread in the Western Cape of South Africa which has a warm-temperate Mediterranean-type climate. I would doubt dandelions would grow in the Tropics though: I did not see any in Cuba for example. Booshank 17:33, 22 May 2006 (UTC)

Basically, it's a temperate zone plant. A friend of mine in Southern California tried and failed to grow dandelions; apparently they need winter. I've noted that in the article. Does anyone know where they originated? Vicki Rosenzweig

Several websites call them of "Eurasian" origin not that that helps much. They were apparently first noted by Arab writers in the 10th century but it didn't mention where. Arabs were widespread by then too. They are listed as growing in Australia and Mexico so I would have thought they would grow in southern California too. The University of California (http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn7469.html) says the dandelions grow year round in the entire state except in the mountains. This page aslo says that dandelions go back to Roman times as a medicine and food. --rmhermen

Is there a set policy on the gardening section of the 'pedia? We have recipes, so should we have gardening tips? I can say that dandelions are hard to get rid of; they have very long roots. I find the only way to keep dandelions under control is:

• catch them early when they only have a few leaves
• rip off any flowers that form to prevent seeding
• tackle the big ones with trowel or spade. There's a weeding tool like a long v-shaped trowel that's very good for them too. -- Tarquin

If you do not eradicate them, you are in for a root awakening! -phma

Is a description of the plant needed? Not being any sort of biologist, I've come up with this so far:

The plant grows as a cluster of narrow, fairly dark green leaves, up to (?)25cm. Flowers grow on firm stems of up to (?) 40cm

But "firm" is the wrong word. "self-supporting"? hmm. Tarquin

Well, also the leaves grow outward from a center over the taproot; and the stem extends from the center too. The leaves are oval with wavy edges ... not dissimilar to the inner leaves on romaine lettuce, but laid flat on the ground. Also, breaking the stem releases a milky substance. Just what I remember from high school, when I had a yard.  :-) --KQ 19:26 Aug 19, 2002 (PDT)

Is the table overlapping the text for any body else? This is happening with all right or left aligned tables in IE 5 on Win 2k. --mav

I believe this problem is specific to Internet Exploder. It looks lovely in Mozilla. --Brion

Removed from article:

This is hardly encyclopedic but could be reworded and made into a real recipe under cooking dandelions. --mav

It's now under How to cook dandelions. - Montréalais

Sorry, I've gone for an image prune on this article... I don't think it needs a ==More images== section. "Wikipedia is not a mirror or a repository of links, images, or media files". - MykReeve T·C 20:23, 7 May 2005 (UTC)

I restored the image of the halictid pollinator, as it is needed to illustrate an important part of the life cycle. Studying plants without reference to their pollinators is not very good botany. There needs to be more pollination info on this and most plant pages. Also needed is a photo illustrating actual seed dispersion in process - a tough photo to take, but it would be a good illustration. Pollinator 21:20, May 7, 2005 (UTC)

In the article it says "with numerous apomictic microspecies". Actually i thought they were all asexual. If they are asexual why would they need pollinators? Is there a source that indiactes that some species of dandelion are sexual? Otherwise we should axe the photo of the halictid pollinator since it is very misleading. David D. 23:41, 14 July 2005 (UTC)

They are not exclusively apomictic, at least most zones of southern Europe. The presence of mixed sexual-apomictic populations seems to be linked to higher temperatures, but the subject is still being studied. It seems that sexual and apomictic population still have a genetic contact at some degree, this is why all dandelion flowers are so coloured, produce nectar and attract pollinators. I think this can be interesting, do you think I should write it in the main article? I lost the link that proved this completely, but see this. (Excuse me for my poor english) Aelwyn 23 June 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Say, I wonder

Do you think this picture could have a place in the article?

Floaters

I want to add it, but I don't want to just remove someone else's picture in a well-established article. On the other hand, the article is rather full and I don't want to just add it and make more bloat. What do you think?

I think it's a valuable illustration of a part of its life cycle. I would wish the photo were clearer, but I realize that this is an exceedingly difficult shot as well. I'd go for it. Pollinator 02:11, September 6, 2005 (UTC)

Well, you have to understand, there was probably less than 1/3 an inch of depth of field in this shot. I was using an 8x zoom camera with a close-up lens on the end. I tried my best though! I'm not too sure where to add it though. One of the pictutes needs to be replaced, because otherwise it will be too cluttered. It's already pushing it.PiccoloNamek 02:17, September 6, 2005 (UTC)

Believe me, I DO understand...Pollinator 03:10, September 6, 2005 (UTC)

I like the pic and would add it. Marc W. Abel

There seems to be alot of folk medicine and remidies passed off as simple fact and actual medicine in the article. A good going over of these sections is necessary I think.--Deglr6328 06:54, 11 September 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Etymology

I was going to post a entry on the meaning of its offical name Taraxacum officinale, does it really mean official remedy for disorders? I can't confirm it.

[edit] Origin

I've always heard that Dandelions were native to Europe/Asia and were spread to the Americas by settlers. This was backed up by a quick search.[1] The article says otherwise so I will go through and change it.--Bkwillwm 19:29, 3 March 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Picture/development

I'd quite like the article to have a short series of photos, maybe at the bottom, showing the development of the plant/flower, as it took me many years of studying the plant in the garden to realise the petals didn't turn into the floaters! I'm willing to go out and take the photos if needed, if they aren't available, but I thought I'd ask here first as people seem to be aiming to keep the photos to a minimum. Skittle 22:31, 16 May 2006 (UTC)

I think that if the information they provide is useful, there won't be a problem. The issue isn't so much with too many pictures, it's with too many unnecessary pictures. Presumably the two pictures currently at the top (the 'clock' and the open flower) would either fit in your sequence or be replaced by your pictures anyway. A series that showed bud to seed metamorphosis would also be useful in the flower article as well. Matt Deres 16:55, 27 May 2006 (UTC)

Excellent. I shall have to get a decent camera and do the job. Good pictures at the top. Skittle 10:09, 8 June 2006 (UTC)

Okay. It's easy to find nice images of the full flower Image:Löwenzahn-JJ5.jpg Image:Taraxacum plant.jpg and of the full clock Image:Dandelion clock.jpg Image:Taraxacum_officinalis DSC02041.JPG Image:Taraxacum_officinale0.jpg. There's a nice one showing the dried flower still attached to the emerging clock Image:Dandelion head.jpg and an interesting one that shows two stages of clock development at once Image:Taraxacum 2005 spring 005.jpg. There are even a couple showing nearly empty clocks, which show the bobbly top the seeds attach to (I prefer the second one) Image:Gewöhnlicher Löwenzahn Taraxacum officinale agg. detail.jpg Image:Paardebloem zaadpluis.jpg.

What I still need are pictures of the flower bud and opening flower, possibly of the dying flower too. I shall see what I can do. Just off to learn about sizing of images! Skittle 10:33, 8 June 2006 (UTC)

[edit] what is a dandiloin used for

My teacher gave me a project to do on dandiloins and i don't know what a dandiloin is used for. Can you please explain it to me.

[edit] simpler

It would be nice to have some simple parts in this article, and have it more divided up to make it more accessible. If it is too dense, it will not be useful--Filll 15:19, 18 October 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Caffeic Acid

I checked, and that appears to be correct. I would favor leaving it in. I do not know why we should remove it. It is interesting.--Filll 22:23, 25 October 2006 (UTC)

Reading through the Caffeic Acid page, it seems to suggest that Caffeic Acid has shown Carcinogenic and anti-carcinogenic properties, depending on who's research you look at. AlexNifty 12:05, 13 November 2006 (UTC)

We could remove it if it is too confusing. On the other hand, it is interesting and does point out that "natural" products are not necessarily all safe. If we wanted a to strike a more balanced note, we could also mention its anti-carcinogenic properties. I point out that it is very possible that caffeic acid DOES have both carcinogenic and anti-carcinogenic properties.--Filll 13:30, 13 November 2006 (UTC)

[edit] No Edit War

I do not want to get into an edit war with Nhelferty, but he or she seems to not want any mention of the results of multiple studies suggesting that caffeinic acid is a carcinogen. Just slashing stuff mindlessly is not helpful. He now seems to have moved up the section heading for his discussion of "antioxidants" to make it far more prominent, rather than a subsection under uses. I think there needs to be some other input here.--Filll 22:32, 25 October 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Dandelion Wine

There ought to be a mention of this use of the dandelion. —ExplorerCDT 03:39, 13 November 2006 (UTC)