80 
NATURE STUDY NOTES 
THE DANDELIONS 
GENERAL—More than half-a-dozen species of 
plants with yellow flower-heads are frequently mis¬ 
called “Dandelions.’’ Nos. 2, 3, 4 and 5 are the ones 
found most abundantly. (See p. 81.) 
(1) TRUE DANDELION—Leaves, smooth, large 
and with irregular “toothed” edges, hence name, 
derived from Fr. “dent de lion” = lion’s tooth. The 
parts of the leaf to right and left of midrib are 
always unequal. Sepals, curling backwards from 
the petals towards the stem—a distinctive feature. 
Stem, smooth, seldom green, usually a reddish 
tinge, and so hollow that by removing the heads, 
it is easy to make a dandelion chain from a number 
of stems, each stem forming a link. Flowers, bright 
yellow and large; 1 to 2 inches diameter. Separate 
stem for each flower. 
(2) HAWKBIT—Leaves, small, hairy, and with 
few, if any indentations. Stem, no branches, hairy, 
green colour, hollow, but very thin. Flowers, small, 
\ to ^ inch diameter. 
(3) CATSEAR—Leaves, very hairy on both 
sides; lie prone on the ground, forming a mat; dis¬ 
tinctly lobed; if part of leaf including two adjoin¬ 
ing lobes, is held between the two thumbs, the 
resemblance to cats’ ears is striking, hence name. 
Stem, has branches; hairless, dark green, no leaves 
on stem, but sometimes small imperfect leaves at 
junction of branches. Flowers, similar to No. 2— 
slightly larger. 
(4) H AW KB EARD—Leaves, same shape as, 
but smaller than true dandelion; hairless. Stem 
