A dandelion is actually many small flowers growing together. They result is a ball of white seeds ready to be blown away. Courtesy photo

Dandelions growing to become a field of flowers. Photo by Robert Dryja

By ROBERT DRYJA
Los Alamos

An early sign of the coming of spring is provided by dandelions. Lawns and fields suddenly have bright yellow flowers. They form small balls growing near the surface of a lawn. Some people consider dandelions to be a nuisance when one or two are growing on a lawn.

However colorful patches of 10 or more dandelions are impressive. A dandelion looks like a single flower when viewed casually and at a distance. However, it actually is a ball of small flowers growing together. These individual flowers are called florets. There may be 30 of more florets growing together. Dandelion flowers open up during a sunny day and then close at night.

Plants follow different strategies to grow and disburse their seeds. An apple grows into a large bulb with a few seeds inside. The strategy is that the seeds will be carried way when the bulb is eaten by a bird or some other animal. A new apple tree will start to grow if a seed is left in a good location. A dandelion in contrast relies on the wind to disburse its seeds. Each floret grows a sort of white parachute called a pappus.

A dandelion closes permanently when its florets are pollinated, and it is growing many pappi. A pappus is very light in weight and can be easily blown away in a breeze. A mature dandelion looks like a white ball. Carefully pick a ball and blow a puff of air against it. A mass of pappi will float away.  Dandelions are producing a large number of seeds in which a few may successfully grow when they land in a good location. A video of this growth cycle can be seen at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UQ_QqtXoyQw

The forsythia bush also produces bright yellow flowers in the early spring. However, it follows a different strategy to grow and disburse its seeds. A forsythia grows many long branches, and its flowers are spread out along them.  A forsythia will look like a mass of yellow standing several feet tall when seen at a distance. Each of its flowers are composed of four petals. They are part of a tube-like structure in which a seed will grow. The seeds are large when compared to a dandelion. The forsythia is following a strategy similar to an apple. A few seeds may be carried away by hungry birds. The seeds alternatively may fall close to the parent plant. The soil condition may favor the growth of these seeds since the parent plant already is growing successfully in this soil. 

A forsythia flower is composed of four petals surrounding a tube where a seed will grow. Photo by Robert Dryja

A forsythia seed grows inside a protective shell. Courtesy photo