Subject: Tarayacum spectable Dahlst Question

From: [email-masked] (Rich)
Date: 30 Apr 1996 16:01:44 GMT

Here's an interesting challenge to someone out there... Can anyone tell me
the approx. number of petals that are on a dandelion flower? I REALLY NEED
AN ANSWER TO THIS - its not a joke... THANKS in advance

---

From: [email-masked] ("Roger Whitehead")
Date: Tue, 30 Apr 1996 19:47:41 GMT

<<  Can anyone tell me the approx. number of petals that are on a 
dandelion flower? >>

Exactly one, as with most of the Asteraceae.

Roger

- - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Roger Whitehead,
14 Amy Road, Oxted, Surrey RH8 0PX, England
Tel: +44 (0)1883 713074; Fax: +44 (0)1883 716793
.

---

From: [email-masked] (Kay Klier)
Date: 30 Apr 1996 20:16:07 GMT

>AN ANSWER TO THIS - its not a joke... THANKS in advance

Five.  But you get to count the number of flowers in an inflorescence.
-- 
----
Kay Klier   [email-masked]

---

From: [email-masked] (rick strimbeck)
Date: Tue, 14 May 1996 15:15:37 -0600

> AN ANSWER TO THIS - its not a joke... THANKS in advance

If you're interested in the number of flowers on a head, they're probably
arranged in spirals. Take a dandelion that's gone to seed, blow off all
the seeds, count the number of dots in a spiral, count the number of
spirals, and multiply. For more info, read about Fibonacci series in a
good dendrology text.

-- 
Rick Strimbeck
University of Vermont
School of Natural Resources
Burlington, VT