A dwarf dandelion from Ken in SC

Growing in a regularly mowed hay field where the primary grass is Bahiagrass.

Ken,

your plant is a Krigia, or dwarf dandelion.  It looks like an annual, which would mean it could be Krigia virginica.  However, if you were to dig down deep and find a tuber, it might be Krigia dandelion. Also, Krigia virginica usually does not have so well-developed a stem.  There are a few more possibilities including Krigia biflora [which is apparently rare in SC], and Krigia oppositifolia [a very good possibility, though they are usually branched and larger with age].  The features used to distinguish them are mostly the bristles on the fruits, so I cannot go any farther with this.  You can check these out on the Internet and perhaps this will help.  When it fruits, you will have some of the other characters needed to identify it to species.

Sincerely,

Dr. Steven R. Hill,  Botanist, SCNPS

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