Dandelion ‒ Roots

Taraxacum is a large genus of flowering plants in the family Asteraceae. They are native to Eurasia and North and South America, and two species, T. officinale and T. erythrospermum, are found as weeds worldwide. The common name dandelion (from French dent-de-lion, meaning "lion's tooth") is given to members of the genus, and like other members of the Asteraceae family, they have very small flowers collected together into a composite flower head. Each single flower in a head is called a floret. Many Taraxacum species produce seeds asexually by apomixis, where the seeds are produced without pollination, resulting in offspring that are genetically identical to the parent plant.

The botanical genus name comes from the word “taraxis”, which means "inflammation of the eye". It points the fact that this plant was used for eye diseases as long as anyone can remember. The seeds are important food for many birds and insects (nectar) and the flowers close during bad weather. It has well-known diuretic properties.

## Keywords
plantae angiosperms eudicots asterids asterales cichorieae