22. Taraxacum sect. Erythrosperma (H. Lindberg) Dahlstedt, Acta Fl. Sueciae. 1: 36. 1921.
红种子蒲公英组 hong zhong zi pu gong ying zu
Taraxacum [unranked] Erythrosperma H. Lindberg, Acta Soc. Fauna Fl. Fenn. 29(9): 18. 1908.
Plants usually small, base with a tunic. Petiole unwinged; leaf blade pinnatisect; lateral lobes numerous, usually narrow, often dentate or lobulate. Capitulum small, mostly 2-3 cm wide. Outer phyllaries usually 10-18, often imbricate, linear-lanceolate to ovate, short, loosely appressed to arcuate-recurved, indistinctly bordered or pale bordered, apex usually corniculate. Ligules yellow; floret tube glabrous. Achene red, red-brown, brown, grayish pink, or straw-colored brown, 3.2-4.2 mm; body usually densely spinulose above, subabruptly to gradually narrowing into a distinct cylindric 0.7-1.2 mm cone; beak usually 4-9 mm. Pappus ± white.
About 180 species: mainly in Europe and the Mediterranean region; one species (introduced) in China.
Several forms are found in China, but only one has been identified as a known species. The name Taraxacum erythrospermum Andrzejowski refers to a sexual member of this section, confined to the E part of C Europe; in the literature (e.g., FRPS 80(2): 65. 1999) it covers most of T. sect. Erythrosperma.
