Dandelions in Central Asia: Taraxacum sect. Suavia.

On the basis of the authors’ collections and cultivated material from Asia, a recently described group of dandelions, Taraxacum sect. Suavia, is revised. In addition to three species described previously (T. haneltii, T. sumneviczii and T. formosissimum), six new species from Mongolia and Kyrgyzstan are recognized. Three of them, T. suave, T. stupendum and T. margaritarium, possess most of the features characterizing the section Suavia, one, T. suasorium, is regarded as intermediate between sections Suavia and Leucantha, whilst the remaining two, T. nobile and T. venustius, exhibit some characters of another related section (T. sect. Stenoloba). The members of the section Suavia are agamospermous. Detailed descriptions, drawings and an identification key are given.