Taraxacum sinicum

Kitag.

Asteraceae Edible: Flowers, Leaves, Root 6 iNaturalist observations

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Summary

Taraxacum sinicum is a hardy perennial. Hermaphrodite flowers pollinated by insects are self-fertile. Adapts to light sandy, medium loamy, and heavy clay soils with good drainage, tolerating mildly acid, neutral, and basic soil pH. Grows in semi-shade or full sun and prefers moist soil.

Description

A herb. It grows 8-15 cm tall. The leaf stalk is brownish-purple. The leaves are narrowly sword shaped ad 7-10 cm long by 1 cm wide. They are usually divided into lobes along the stalk. There are 5-7 narrow lobes.

Edible Uses

Leaves can be eaten raw or cooked. The root is also edible when cooked, and flowers can be eaten raw or cooked — unopened buds are suitable for fritters. The dried whole plant makes a tea, and a pleasant tea can be brewed from the flowers alone; leaves and roots can similarly be used for tea. The root is dried and roasted to serve as a coffee substitute. Note that specific records for this species are limited, and several of these uses are inferred from closely related taxa.

Medicinal Uses

The aerial parts of the plant are antibacterial, cholagogue, diuretic, galactogogue, laxative, and stomachic. A decoction is used in treating abscesses, appendicitis, boils, liver problems, and stomach disorders. The plant has been used by the Chinese for over 1,000 years in treating breast cancer and other breast disorders, including poor milk flow. It has an antibacterial action against Staphylococcus aureus, streptococci, Pneumococci, Meningococci, Bacillus dysenteriae, B. typhi, C. diphtheriae, and Proteus, among others. The stem has been used specifically in the treatment of cancer.

Distribution

It is a temperate plant. In north China is grows in slightly salty soils in temporarily wet grasslands between 600-2,000 m above sea level.

Where It Grows

Asia, China, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Russia,

Cultivation

We have very little information on this species and do not know if it will be hardy in Britain, though judging by its native range it should succeed outdoors in many parts of the country. The following notes are based on the general needs of the genus. Prefers a well-drained humus-rich soil in full sun or light shade. Many species in this genus produce their seed apomictically. This is an asexual method of seed production where each seed is genetically identical to the parent plant. Occasionally seed is produced sexually, the resulting seedlings are somewhat different to the parent plants and if these plants are sufficiently distinct from the parents and then produce apomictic seedlings these seedlings are, in theory at least, a new species.

Propagation

Sow seed in spring in a cold frame, either surface-sowing or covering only very lightly; keep the compost consistently moist. Germination typically occurs within two weeks. Prick seedlings into individual pots deep enough to accommodate the taproot, then plant out in early summer. The plant can also be propagated by division in early spring as growth resumes.

Other Uses

None known.

Notes

There are 50-60 Taraxacum species.

References (3)

Bot. Mag. (Tokyo) 47:826. 1933
Plants for a Future database, The Field, Penpol, Lostwithiel, Cornwall, PL22 0NG, UK. http://www.scs.leeds.ac.uk/pfaf/
Urgamal, M., Oyuntsetseg, B., Nyambayar, D. & Dulamsuren, Ch. 2014. Conspectus of the vascular plants of Mongolia. (Editors: Sanchir, Ch. & Jamsran, Ts.). Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. “Admon“ Press. 334pp. (p. 199-230).