Field of flowering dandelions, Taraxacum officinale, a stemless perennial herb, which is commonly found on waste land, roadsides and as a weed in lawns. The dandelion is a member of the composite family, the largest dicotyledonous family in the plant kingdom. Characteristic of the family is the flower, which is made up of numerous, small, centrally located flowers surrounded by bracts that give the overall effect of a single, large flower. Also characteristic are the fruits which generally possess a ring of hairs that aids in wind dispersal. Photographed near Little Chalfont, Buckinghamshire UK.