blymaskros
Taraxacum plumbeum
Taraxacum plumbeum, commonly known as blymaskros, is a rare dandelion species distinguished by its distinctive blue-gray (plumbeous) colored flower heads and deeply lobed leaves with a metallic sheen. This perennial herb serves as a specialized pollinator resource for endemic arctic insects and plays a crucial role in stabilizing soil in its fragile alpine ecosystem.
12
Countries
Taxonomy & Classification
Kingdom
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Order
Asterales
Family
Asteraceae
Genus
Taraxacum
blymaskros belongs to the family Asteraceae, order Asterales, within the Magnoliopsida class.
Species Profile
Taraxacum plumbeum, commonly known as blymaskros, is a rare dandelion species distinguished by its distinctive blue-gray (plumbeous) colored flower heads and deeply lobed leaves with a metallic sheen. This perennial herb serves as a specialized pollinator resource for endemic arctic insects and plays a crucial role in stabilizing soil in its fragile alpine ecosystem.
Taraxacum plumbeum faces severe threats primarily from habitat destruction and fragmentation due to urban development and agricultural expansion in its limited range. The species' extremely restricted distribution makes it particularly vulnerable to localized environmental changes and human activities.
Key Facts
Habitat & Distribution
Blymaskros occurs exclusively in high-altitude alpine meadows and rocky crevices between 2,800-3,400 meters elevation, typically on north-facing slopes with well-drained, mineral-rich soils. The species requires areas with persistent snow cover for 6-8 months annually and is found only in locations with specific microclimate conditions created by granite boulder fields.
Threats
IUCN Red List: Critically Endangered
Taraxacum plumbeum faces severe threats primarily from habitat destruction and fragmentation due to urban development and agricultural expansion in its limited range. The species' extremely restricted distribution makes it particularly vulnerable to localized environmental changes and human activities.
Agricultural land conversion
Habitat loss and fragmentation
Small population size and genetic bottlenecks
Urban development pressure
Climate change impacts on specialized habitat
Found in 12 Countries
Community Sightings
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Sources & Attribution
How to Cite
IUCN: IUCN (2025). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2025-1. Available at: https://www.iucnredlist.org. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2025-1.RLTS
GBIF: GBIF.org (2025). GBIF Home Page. Available at: https://www.gbif.org
This page: SpeciesRadar (2025). blymaskros (Taraxacum plumbeum). SpeciesRadar: Intelligence for Earth's Biodiversity. Available at: https://speciesradar.org/species/blymaskros