This is one of those many yellow ‘Dandelion-like’ species which are not easy to identify. However, the covering of rough, white hairs makes it a little different to some of the other members of the Asteraceae family. The golden yellow flowers (25-30mm across) are ligulate, that is they consist of only ray florets, each of which terminates in a 5-toothed tip. These florets are longer than the involucre of bracts beneath the flowerhead. The flowers are borne solitarily on unbranched, erect, leafless stems which arise from a basal rosette of coarse wavy-toothed leaves. A few tiny scales may occur on the stem (see bottom image). This species grows to about 40cm tall.
Rough Hawkbit is a native perennial which flowers from June to September in dry grassland and mainly calcareous soil. It occurs mainly in the centre of Ireland and also Connacht and the south-east.
I first saw and photographed this species in Pollardstown Fen, Co Kildare in 2015. I was with Jackie O’Connell and Paul Green and might not have been able to identify it readily but for their help.
If you are satisfied you have correctly identified this plant, please submit your sighting to the National Biodiversity Data Centre
