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leontodon
The Collaborative International Dictionary
Leontodon

Leontodon \Le*on"to*don\ (l[-e]*[o^]n"t[-o]*d[o^]n), n. [Gr. le`wn, le`ontos, lion + 'odoy`s, 'odo`ntos, tooth. Cf. Lion's-tooth, Dandelion.] (Bot.) A genus of liguliflorous composite plants, including the fall dandelion ( Leontodon autumnale), and formerly the true dandelion; -- called also lion's tooth.

Wikipedia
Leontodon

Leontodon is a genus of plants in the dandelion tribe within the sunflower family (Compositae), commonly known as hawkbits.

Their English name derives from the mediaeval belief that hawks ate the plant to improve their eyesight. Although originally only native to Eurasia and North Africa, some species have since become established in other countries, including the United States and New Zealand.

Recent research has shown that the genus Leontodon in the traditional delimitation is polyphyletic. Therefore, the former Leontodon subgenus Oporinia was raised to generic level. According to the nomenclatural rules the name Scorzoneroides has priority at generic level and therefore, the members of Leontodon subgenus Oporinia were transferred to the re-erected genus Scorzoneroides.

Usage examples of "leontodon".

Assigned also at one time to the genus Hieracium, but now placed by most botanists in the genus Leontodon, and sometimes in the genus Apargia, are the Hawkbits, of which there are two British species, the Autumnal Hawkbit and the Rough Hawkbit, both abundantly distributed throughout Britain, in meadowland, and on commons and waste ground.