Dandelion (ඩෑන්ඩිලයින්)

Taraxacum officinale, the common dandelion (often simply called “dandelion”), is a flowering herbaceous perennial plant of the family Asteraceae (Compositae).

It can be found growing in temperate regions of the world, in lawns, on roadsides, on disturbed banks and shores of water ways, and other areas with moist soils. T. officinale is considered a weed, especially in lawns and along roadsides, but it is sometimes used as a medical herb and in food preparation. Common dandelion is well known for its yellow flower heads that turn into round balls of silver tufted fruits that disperse in the wind. These balls are called “blowballs” or “clocks” in both British and American English.

Flower : The florets number 40 to over 100 per head, having corollas that are yellow or orange-yellow in color.
Fruits : The fruits, called cypselae,range in color from olive-green or olive-brown to straw-colored to grayish, they are oblanceolate in shape and 2–3 mm (0.079–0.118 in) long with slender beaks. The fruits have 4 to 12 ribs that have sharp edges. The silky pappi, which form the parachutes, are white to silver-white in color and around 6 mm wide.

Edible parts : Whole Plant (root to flower)

Ayurvedic usage : While the dandelion is considered a weed by most gardeners and especially lawn owners, the plant has several culinary uses. The specific name officinalis refers to its value as a medicinal herb, and is derived from the word opificina, later officina, meaning a workshop or pharmacy. The flowers are used to make dandelion wine,the greens are used in salads, the roots have been used to make a coffee substitute (when baked and ground into powder) and the plant was used by Native Americans as a food and medicine. Yellow dye colors can be obtained from the flowers but little color can be obtained from the roots of the plant

Height : 5–40 cm (2.0–15.7 in) but sometimes up to 70 cm (28 in) tall

Leaves : 5–45 cm (2.0–17.7 in) long and 1–10 cm (0.39–3.94 in) wide, and are oblanceolate, oblong, or ovate in shape, with the bases gradually narrowing to the petiole. The leaf margins are typically shallowly lobed to deeply lobed and often lacerate or toothed with sharp or dull teeth