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dandelion

  (dăn'dl-ī'ən)

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dandelion

common dandelion Taraxacum officinale (Elizabeth Morales)

1. A Eurasian plant (Taraxacum officinale) of the composite family having many-rayed yellow flower heads and deeply notched basal leaves. Widely naturalized as a weed in North America, it is used in salads and to make wine.
2. Any of several similar or related plants.
3. A brilliant to vivid yellow.

[Middle English dent-de-lioun, from Old French dentdelion, from Medieval Latin dēns leōnis, lion's tooth (from its sharply indented leaves) : Latin dēns, dent-, tooth + Latin leōnis, genitive of leō, lion; see lion.]

WORD HISTORY   Dent-de-lioun, the Middle English form of dandelion, makes it easy to see that our word is a borrowing of Old French dentdelion, literally, “tooth of the lion,” referring to the sharply indented leaves of the plant. Modern French dent-de-lion, unlike Modern English dandelion, reveals to anyone who knows French what the components of the word are. The English spelling reflects the pronunciation of the Old French word at the time it was borrowed into English. The t in dentdelion probably disappeared early in Old French, having been absorbed into the related sound of the d. The earliest recorded instance of the word occurs in an herbal written in 1373, but we find an instance of dandelion used in a proper name (Willelmus Dawndelyon) in a document dated 1363.

The leaves of the weed Taraxacum officinale may be eaten as a salad or cooked. In France dandelion greens are known as pis-en-lit because of their diuretic action. A 50-g portion of the leaves is a good source of vitamins C and A (4000 μg carotene); a source of calcium and iron; supplies 25 kcal (105 kJ). The root can be cooked as a vegetable, or may be roasted and used as a substitute for coffee.

Description

Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) is a common meadow herb of the Asteraceae or sunflower family. There are about 100 species of dandelion, and all are beneficial. This sun-loving beauty is a native of Greece, naturalized in temperate regions throughout the world, and familiar to nearly everyone. The perennial dandelion grows freely wherever it can find a bit of earth and a place in the sun. Dandelion's nutritive and medicinal qualities have been known for centuries.

Dandelion's common name is derived from the French dent de lion, a reference to the irregular and jagged margins of the lance-shaped leaves. There are numerous folk names for this widely-used herb. They include pissabed, Irish daisy, blow ball, lion's tooth, bitterwort, wild endive, priest's crown, doonheadclock, yellow gowan, puffball, clock flower, swine snort, fortune-teller, and cankerwort. The generic name is thought to be derived from the Greek words taraxos, meaning disorder, and akos, meaning remedy. Another possible derivation is from the Persian tark hashgun, meaning wild endive, one of dandelion's common names. The specific designation officinale indicates that this herb was officially listed as a medicinal. Dandelion held a place in the United States National Formulary from 1888 until 1965, and the dried root of dandelion is listed in the United States Pharmacopoeia (USP).

Dandelion may be distinguished from other similar-looking herbs by the hollow, leafless flower stems that contain a bitter milky-white liquid also found in the root and leaves. The dark green dandelion leaves, with their irregular, deeply jagged margins, have a distinctive hairless mid-rib. The leaves are arranged in a rosette pattern, and may grow to 1.5 ft (45.7 cm) in length. They have a lovely magenta tint that extends up along the inner rib of the stalkless leaf. When the plant is used as a dye, it yields this purple hue. Dandelion blossoms are singular and round, with compact golden-yellow petals. They bloom from early spring until well into autumn atop hollow stalks that may reach from 4–8 in (10.2ndash;20.3 cm) tall. The golden blossoms yield a pale yellow dye for wool. After flowering, dandelion develops a round cluster of achenes, or seed cases. As many as 200 of these narrow seed cases, each with a single seed, form the characteristic puffball. Each achene is topped with a white, feathery tuft to carry it on the breeze. Dandelion's tap root may grow fat, and reach as deep as 1.5 ft (45.7 cm) in loose soil. The root has numerous hairy rootlets. Dandelion is a hardy herb and will regrow from root parts left in the ground during harvest.

General Use

Dandelion has a long history of folk use. Early colonists brought the herb to North America. The native people soon recognized the value of the herb and sought it out for its medical and nutritious benefits. The entire plant is important as a general tonic, particularly as a liver tonic. It may be taken as an infusion of the leaf, a juice extraction, a root decoction, or a tincture. Fresh leaves may be added to salads or cooked as a potherb. The juice extracted from the stem and leaf is the most potent part of the plant for medicinal purposes. It has been used to eradicate warts and soothe calluses, bee stings, or sores. Infusions of dandelion blossoms have been used as a beautifying facial, refreshing the skin.

Dandelion is a nutritive herb rich in potassium, calicum, and lecithin, with iron, magnesium, niacin, phosphorus, proteins, silicon, boron, and zinc. Dandelion provides several B vitamins along with vitamins C and E as well as vitamin P. Chemical constituents in the leaf include bitter glycosides, carotenoids, terpenoids, choline, potassium salts, iron, and other minerals. The root also has bitter glycosides, tannins, triterpenes, sterols, volatile oil, choline, asparagin, and inulin.

Many herbalists regard the dandelion as an effective treatment for liver disease, useful even in such extreme cases as cirrhosis. It cleanses the bloodstream and increases bile production, and is a good remedy for gall bladder problems as well. The herb is also a boon to such other internal organs as the pancreas, kidneys, stomach, and spleen. The dried leaf, taken as a tea, is used as a mild laxative to relieve constipation. Dandelion leaf is also a good natural source of potassium, and will replenish any potassium that may be lost due to the herb's diuretic action on the kidneys. This characteristic makes dandelion a safe diuretic in cases of water retention due to heart problems. The herb is useful in cases of anemia and hepatitis, and may lower elevated blood pressure. Dandelion may also provide relief for rheumatism and arthritis. Dandelion therapy, consisting of therapeutic doses of dandelion preparations taken over time, may help reduce stiffness and increase mobility in situations of chronic degenerative joint disease. The root, dried and minced, can used as a coffee substitute, sometimes combined with roasted acorns and rye.

Preparations

All parts of the dandelion have culinary and medicinal value. It is best to harvest fresh young dandelion leaves in the spring. The small, young leaves are less bitter, and may be eaten uncooked in salads. Larger leaves can be lightly steamed to reduce bitterness. Leaves gathered in the fall are naturally less bitter. Dandelion blossoms, traditionally used in wine making, may be gathered throughout the flowering season. The deep, fleshy taproot should be gathered in the fall. It takes careful digging and loosening to extract the root intact, although any root parts left in the soil will eventually produce another plant. The root should be washed. Thicker roots should be sliced down their length to facilitate drying. The pieces should be spread out on a paper-lined tray in a light, airy room out of direct sunlight and stored in tightly sealed dark glass containers. Dried dandelion root may be somewhat less potent than the fresh root.

Leaf infusion: Place 2 oz of fresh dandelion leaf, less if dried, in a warmed glass container. Bring 2.5 cups of fresh nonchlorinated water to the boiling point and add it to the herbs. Cover the mixture and steep for 15–20 minutes, then strain. Drink the infusion warm or cold throughout the day, up to three cups per day. The prepared tea can be kept for about two days in the refrigerator.

Tincture: Combine 4 oz of finely-cut fresh dandelion root and leaf (or 2 oz of dry powdered herb) with 1 pt of brandy, gin, or vodka in a glass container. The alcohol should be enough to cover the plant parts and have a 50/50 ratio of alcohol to water. Cover and store the mixture away from light for about two weeks, shaking several times each day. Strain and store in a tightly capped dark glass bottle. A standard dose is 10–15 drops of the tincture in water, up to three times a day.

Precautions

Dandelion acts as a cholagogue, which means that it increases the flow of bile. It should not be used by persons with closure of the biliary ducts and other biliary ailments.

Side Effects

Dandelion is a safe and nutritious herb widely used throughout the world. No health hazards have been reported when dandelion is used in designated therapeutic doses. According to the PDR For Herbal Medicine, however, some "superacid gastric complaints" could be triggered by using the herb. Dandelion stems contain a liquid latex substance that may be irritating to the skin of senstitive persons.

Interactions

No interactions have been reported between dandelion and standard medications.

Resources

Books

Duke, James A., Ph.D. The Green Pharmacy. Emmaus, PA: Rodale Press, 1997.

Foster, Steven, and James A. Duke. Peterson Field Guides, Eastern/Central Medicinal Plants. Boston-New York: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1990.

Hoffmann, David. The New Holistic Herbal. 2nd ed. Boston: Element, 1986.

Hutchens, Alma R. A Handbook of Native American Herbs.

Boston: Shambhala Publications, Inc., 1992.

PDR for Herbal Medicines. Montvale, NJ: Medical Economics Company, 1998.

Tyler, Varro E., Ph.D. Herbs of Choice. New York: The Haworth Press, Inc., 1994.

Weiss, Gaea, and Shandor Weiss. Growing & Using the Healing Herbs. New York: Wings Books, 1992.

Other

Hoffmann, David L. "Dandelion." In Herbal Materia Medica. Health World Online. http://www.healthy.net.

[Article by: Clare Hanrahan]

For more information on dandelion, visit Britannica.com.

The commonest belief about dandelions is that picking their flowers causes bed-wetting—hence its alternative name ‘peebed’ or ‘pissabed’. But there is no taboo against picking the seed-heads, called ‘dandelion clocks’; children blow the seeds away, counting the number of puffs needed, and claiming that this tells them the time, or the number of years before marriage. They may also recite the divinatory ‘Loves me, loves me not’, or ‘This year, next year, sometime, never’ (Vickery, 1995: 102-5). Another pastime was reported in Victorian times:

Dandelion chains are made with the flower stalks only. The supple hollow stalk, denuded of its flower, is bent in a circle, and the smaller end is pushed for about half an inch into the larger. A circle is thus formed, its size depending upon the length of the stalk. This is the first link of the chain. Link is added to link, and the only limits to the length of the chain are the paucity of dandelions and the persistency of the child making it. Some children make necklets of the chain. (N&Q 9s:7 (1901), 397; cf. 474, 511 and 9s:8(1901), 70, 232, 466)

The common plant or weed (Taraxacum officinale) with yellow blossoms and edible leaves was thought to have curative powers in the Celtic countries, especially for heart problems and diseases caused by fairies. Irish caisearbhán or, when used as medicine, caol dearg; Scottish Gaelic am beárnan Br'de; Manx lus y minnag; Welsh dant y llew; Cornish dans-lew; Breton c'hwervizon. See also FAIRY HERB.

Dandelion
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae Division: Magnoliophyta Class: Magnoliopsida Order: Asterales Family: Asteraceae Genus: Taraxacum Cass.
Species
See text

The name Dandelion is given to species of the genus (Taraxacum), a large genus of flowering plants in the family Asteraceae. In the Asteraceae (formerly Compositae) the 'flowers' are morphologically a composite flower head consisting of many tiny flowers called florets. The dandelion is native to Europe and Asia, and has spread to many other places. In northern areas and places where the dandelion is not native, it has become a weedy species, exploiting disturbed ground in human environments. Taraxacum species reproduce asexually by means of apomixis and seed production commonly occurs without pollination.^[1]

Description

Dandelion are tap-rooted biennial or perennial herbaceous plants, native to temperate areas of the Northern Hemisphere of the Old World. They are commonly known as weeds or ruderals.

A flowering dandelion.

The genus is taxonomically very complex, with numerous macrospecies, and polyploidy is also common; over 250 species have been recorded in the British Isles alone (Richards 1972). Some botanists take a much narrower viewpoint, and only accept a total of about 60 species.

The leaves are 5-25 cm long, simple and basal, entire or lobed, forming a rosette above the central taproot. As the leaves grow outward they push down the surrounding vegetation, such as grass in a lawn, which kills other plants by cutting off their access to sunlight. A bright yellow flower head (which is open in the daytime but closes at night) is borne singly on a hollow stem (scape) which rises 4-30 cm above the leaves and exudes a milky sap (latex) when broken. A rosette may produce several flowering stems at a time. The flower head is 2-5 cm in diameter and consists entirely of ray florets.

Dandelions are used as food plants by the larvae of some species of Lepidoptera. See List of Lepidoptera which feed on Dandelions.

Away from their native regions, they have become established in the Americas, Australia and New Zealand as weeds. They are now common plants throughout all temperate regions.

A dandelion clock.

The flower matures into a globe of fine filaments that are usually distributed by wind, carrying away the seed-containing achenes. This globe (receptacle) is called the "clock".

Seeds

Macro photo of dandelion seed dispersal.

The flower head is surrounded by bracts (sometimes mistakenly called sepals) in two series. The inner bracts are erect until the seeds mature, then flex down to allow the seeds to disperse; the outer bracts are always reflexed downward. Some species drop the "parachute" (called a pappus, modified sepals) from the achenes. Between the pappus and the achene, there is a stalk called a beak, which elongates as the fruit matures. The beak breaks off from the achene quite easily.

Name

In Norwegian, the dandelion is called Løvetann, which is also translated as "lion's tooth", also Löwenzahn ("lions' tooth") in German. In modern French the plant is called pissenlit, which means "urinate in bed", apparently referring to its diuretic properties. Likewise, "pissabeds" is an English folkname for this plant, and "piscialletto" is one of its folknames in Italian (with "dente di leone", meaning "lion's tooth"). Similarly in Spanish, it is known as the "meacamas", but also commonly "diente de león". In Portuguese, its common name is "dente-de-leão" meaning also "lion's tooth". In Turkish the dandelion is called "karahindiba" meaning "black endive". Hungarian names are kutyatej ("dog milk", referring to the white sap found in the stem) and gyermekláncfű ("child's chain grass", referring to the habit of children to pick dandelions, remove the flowers, and make links out of the stems by "plugging" the narrow top end of the stem into the wider bottom end).

Selected species

• Taraxacum officinale (syn. T. officinale subsp. vulgare), Common Dandelion. Found in many forms, but differs at least from the following species:
• Taraxacum albidum, a white-flowering Japanese dandelion.
• Taraxacum japonicum, Japanese dandelion. No ring of smallish, downward-turned leaves under the flowerhead.
• Taraxacum laevigatum (syn. T. erythrospermum), Red-seeded Dandelion; achenes reddish brown and leaves deeply cut throughout length. Inner bracts' tips are hooded.

Seed development and genetics

A microscopic view of a dandelion clock showing the pericarp and the achenes.

As previously mentioned, the taxonomical situation of the genus is quite complex, mainly because many dandelions are genetically triploid. An odd number of chromosomes usually is associated with sterility, but dandelions with this karyotype can reproduce without fertilization, by a process called apomixis.^[2] In these individuals flowers are useless vestigial structures, although they may still produce a small percentage of fertile pollen, keeping some genetic contact with sexual individuals. Diploid dandelions develop seeds after cross-pollination and are outcrossing, or self-incompatible. In most zones of southern Europe and Asia, dandelion populations are sexual or mixed sexual-apomictic, while in northern countries only triploid and tetraploid apomicts are present, as is in the zones where it is not native. This seems to be linked to higher temperatures, survival of pre-glacial populations and human impact, but the subject is still being studied.

There are usually 54 to 172 seeds produced per head, but a single plant can produce more than 2000 seeds a year. It has been estimated that more than 97 000 000 seeds/hectare could be produced every year by a dense stand of dandelions.

Dandelion Snow

A microscopic view of a pappus from a dandelion clock.

After pollination, the dandelion flower dries out for about 10 days and then the seed-bearing parachutes expand and lift out of the dried flower head. The dried part of the flower drops off and the parachute ball opens into a full sphere. The parachute drops off when the seed strikes an obstacle. Often dandelions can be observed growing in a crevice near a wall, because the blowing fruits hit the wall and the feathery pappi drop off, sending the dandelion seeds to the base of the obstacle where they germinate. After the seed is released, the parachutes lose their feathered structure and take on a fuzzy, cotton-like appearance, often called "dandelion snow."

Uses

The dandelion's taproot, on left in this drawing, makes this plant very difficult to uproot; the top of the plant breaks away, but the root stays in the ground and can sprout again.

While the dandelion is considered a weed by many gardeners and lawn owners, the plant does have several culinary and medicinal uses. Dandelions are grown commercially at a small scale as a leaf vegetable. The plant can be eaten cooked or raw in various forms, such as in soup or salad. They are probably closest in character to mustard greens. Usually the young leaves and unopened buds are eaten raw in salads, while older leaves are cooked. Raw leaves have a slightly bitter taste. Dandelion salad is often accompanied with hard boiled eggs. The leaves are high in vitamin A, vitamin C and iron, carrying more iron and calcium than spinach.^[3]

Dandelion flowers can be used to make dandelion wine. The recipe usually contains citrus fruit. It has also been used in a saison ale called Pissenlit (literally "wet the bed" in French) made by Brasserie Fantôme in Belgium. Another recipe using the plant is dandelion flower jam. Ground roasted dandelion root can be used as a coffee substitute. Drunk before meals, it is believed to stimulate digestive functions. Sold in most health food stores, often in a mixture, it is considered an excellent cleansing tonic for the liver.

Main article: Medicinal properties of dandelion

Dandelion root is a registered drug in Canada, sold as a diuretic. Dandelions are so potent in this effect, that children have been known to wet the bed the night after skin contact from playing with them.^[4] A leaf decoction can be drunk to "purify the blood", for the treatment of anemia, jaundice, and also for nervousness. The milky latex has been used as a mosquito repellent; the milk is also applied to warts, helping get rid of them without damaging the surrounding skin. A dye can also be obtained from the roots of the plant. A new mixture of roasted roots is sold as a product called DandyBlend which tastes like coffee after the inulin in the dandelion is roasted.

"Dandelion and Burdock" is a soft drink that has long been popular in the United Kingdom with authentic recipes sold by health food shops. It is unclear whether cheaper supermarket versions actually contain either plant.

This plant also is useful in farming, because its deep, strong roots break up hardpan.

Antioxidant properties

Dandelion contains luteolin, an antioxidant, and has demonstrated antioxidant properties without cytotoxicity.^[5][1]

Caffeic acid and carcinogenicity

Caffeic acid is a secondary plant metabolite produced in dandelion, yarrow, horsetail and whitethorn. Despite its name, it is totally unrelated to caffeine. Recent studies have revealed this acid may be carcinogenic. Caffeic acid was tested for carcinogenicity by oral administration in mice, it produced renal cell adenomas in females, and a high incidence of renal tubular cell hyperplasia in animals of each sex.^[6] However, more recent research shows that bacteria present in the rats' guts may alter the formation of metabolites of caffeic acid. [2] and [3] Also, there have been no known ill-effects of caffeic acid in humans.

False dandelions

Dandelions are so similar to catsears (Hypochoeris) that catsears are also known as "false dandelions." Both plants carry similar flowers which form into windborne seeds. However, catsear flowering stems are forked and solid, whereas dandelions possess unforked stems that are hollow. Both plants have a rosette of leaves and a central taproot. However, the leaves of dandelions are jagged in appearance, whereas those of catsear are more lobe-shaped and hairy.

Other plants with similar flowers include hawkweeds (Hieracium) and hawksbeards (Crepis). These are both readily distinguished by their branched flowering stems.

See also

• List of beneficial weeds
• List of companion plants

References and external links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Taraxacum

• Richards, A. J. 1972. The Taraxacum flora of the British Isles. Watsonia 9 (supplement): 1-141.
• Gail, Peter. The Dandelion Celebration: A Guide to Unexpected Cuisine. Cleveland, Ohio: Goosefoot Acres Press, 1994. ISBN 1-879863-51-0.
• Making Dandelions Palatable by John Kallas of Wild Food Adventures
• How to cook dandelions ~ at Wikibooks
• Dandelion Syrup - step-by-step illustrated recipe in English
• Dandelion Poetry, Folklore, Literature, and Pictures
• Dandelion at Plants For A Future
• a university of Wisconsin article on dandelions
• SpringerLink. Chun Hu and David D. Kitts. Food, Nutrition and Health, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada. October 2004. Luteolin and luteolin-7-O-glucoside from dandelion flower suppress iNOS and COX-2 in RAW264.7 cells. Springer Netherlands. 245:1-2(107-113).

1. ^ http://128.104.239.6/uw_weeds/extension/articles/dandelion.htm
2. ^ http://fieldcrop.msu.edu/documents/GR03-050.pdf
3. ^ An article about dandelion nutrition.
4. ^
5. ^ Chun Hu and David D. Kitts. Food, Nutrition and Health, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada. October 2004. Luteolin and luteolin-7-O-glucoside from dandelion flower suppress iNOS and COX-2 in RAW264.7 cells. Springer Netherlands. 245:1-2(107-113).
6. ^ Caffeic acid phenethyl ester is a potent and specific inhibitor of activation of nuclear transcription factor NF-kappa B., Natarajan K, Singh S, Burke TR Jr, Grunberger D, Aggarwal BB., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U S A., 1996 Aug 20;93(17):9090-5.

hsb:Mlóč (ród)

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Dansk (Danish)
n. - fandens mælkebøtte

Nederlands (Dutch)
paardebloem

Français (French)
n. - pissenlit

Deutsch (German)
n. - (bot.) Löwenzahn

Ελληνική (Greek)
n. - (φυτολ.) αγριοραδίκι

Italiano (Italian)
dente di leone

Português (Portuguese)
n. - dente-de-leão (m) (Bot.)

Русский (Russian)
одуванчик

Español (Spanish)
n. - diente de león

Svenska (Swedish)
n. - maskros

中文（简体） (Chinese (Simplified))
蒲公英

中文（繁體） (Chinese (Traditional))
n. - 蒲公英

한국어 (Korean)
n. - 민들레

日本語 (Japanese)
n. - セイヨウタンポポ, タンポポ

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(الاسم) نبته الهندباء‏

עברית (Hebrew)
n. - ‮שן-הארי (צמח), שינן‬

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