Dandelion
A dandelion flower head composed of hundreds of smaller florets (top) and seed head (bottom)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Eudicots
(unranked):	Asterids
Order:	Asterales
Family:	Asteraceae
Tribe:	Cichorieae
Genus:	Taraxacum Cass.
Species
See text

Taraxacum ( /təˈræksəkʉm/) is a large genus of flowering plants in the family Asteraceae. They are native to Eurasia and North America, and two species, T. officinale and T. erythrospermum, are found as weeds worldwide.^[1] Both species are edible in their entirety.^[2] The common name dandelion (/ˈdændɨlaɪ.ən/ DAN-di-ly-ən, from French dent-de-lion, meaning lion's tooth) is given to members of the genus, and like other members of the Asteraceae family, they have very small flowers collected together into a composite flower head. Each single flower in a head is called a floret. Many Taraxacum species produce seeds asexually by apomixis, where the seeds are produced without pollination, resulting in offspring that are genetically identical to the parent plant.^[3]

Description[link]

The species of Taraxacum are tap-rooted biennial or perennial herbaceous plants, native to temperate areas of the Old and New worlds.^{[clarification needed]}

The leaves are 5–25 cm long or longer, simple and basal, entire or lobed, forming a rosette above the central taproot. The flower heads are yellow to orange coloured, and are open in the daytime but closed at night. The heads are borne singly on a hollow stem (scape) that rises 1–10 cm or more^[4] above the leaves and exudes a milky sap (latex) when broken. A rosette may produce several flowering stems at a time. The flower heads are 2–5 cm in diameter and consist entirely of ray florets. The flower heads mature into spherical "clocks"^[5] containing many single-seeded fruits called achenes. Each achene is attached to a pappus of fine hairs, which enable wind-aided dispersal over long distances.

The flower head is surrounded by bracts (sometimes mistakenly called sepals) in two series. The inner bracts are erect until the seeds mature, then flex downward to allow the seeds to disperse; the outer bracts are always reflexed downward. Some species drop the "parachute" from the achenes; the hair-like parachutes are called pappus, and they are modified sepals. Between the pappus and the achene, there is a stalk called a beak, which elongates as the fruit matures. The beak breaks off from the achene quite easily, separating the seed from the parachute.

Seed dispersal[link]

Seeds being dispersed from a Taraxacum seedhead by air currents

A number of species of Taraxacum are seed dispersed ruderals that rapidly colonize disturbed soil, especially the common dandelion (T. officinale), which has been introduced over much of the temperate world. After flowering is finished, the dandelion flower head dries out for a day or two. The dried petals and stamens drop off, the bracts reflex (curve backwards), and the parachute ball opens into a full sphere. Finally, the seed-bearing parachutes expand and lift out of it. The parachute drops off the achene when it strikes an obstacle^{[citation needed]}. After the seed is released, the parachutes lose their feathered structure and take on a fuzzy, cotton-like appearance, often called "dandelion snow"^{[citation needed]}.

False dandelions[link]

Dandelions are so similar to catsears (Hypochaeris) that catsears are also known as "false dandelions". Both plants carry similar flowers, which form into windborne seeds. However, dandelion flowers are borne singly on unbranched, hairless and leafless, hollow stems, while catsear flowering stems are branched, solid and carry bracts. Both plants have a basal rosette of leaves and a central taproot. However, the leaves of dandelions are smooth or glabrous, whereas those of catsears are coarsely hairy.

Other plants with superficially similar flowers include hawkweeds (Hieracium) and hawksbeards (Crepis). These are readily distinguished by branched flowering stems, which are usually hairy and bear leaves.

Classification[link]

The genus is taxonomically complex, with some botanists dividing the group into about 34 macrospecies, and about 2000 microspecies;^[6] approximately 235 apomictic and polyploid microspecies have been recorded in Great Britain and Ireland.^[7] Some botanists take a much narrower view and only accept a total of about 60 species.^[6]

Selected species[link]

• Taraxacum albidum, a white-flowering Japanese dandelion.
• Taraxacum californicum, the endangered California dandelion
• Taraxacum japonicum, Japanese dandelion. No ring of smallish, downward-turned leaves under the flowerhead.
• Taraxacum kok-saghyz, Russian dandelion, which produces rubber^[8]
• Taraxacum laevigatum, Red-seeded dandelion; achenes reddish brown and leaves deeply cut throughout length. Inner bracts' tips are hooded.
  • Taraxacum erythrospermum, often considered a variety of Taraxacum laevigatum.^[9]
• Taraxacum officinale (syn. T. officinale subsp. vulgare), common dandelion. Found in many forms.

Cultivars[link]

• 'Amélioré à Coeur Plein' - Yields an abundant crop without taking up much ground, and tends to blanch itself naturally, due to its clumping growth habit.
• 'Broad Leaved' - The leaves are thick and tender and easily blanched. In rich soils they can be up to 60 cm wide. Plants do not go to seed as quickly as French types.
• 'Vert de Montmagny'- Long dark green leaves, some find them mild enough to be palatable without blanching. Vigorous and productive.^{[10][dead link]}

History[link]

This section requires expansion.

Dandelions are thought to have evolved about thirty million years ago in Eurasia.^[11] They have been used by humans for food and as a herb for much of recorded history.^[12] They were introduced to North America by early European immigrants.

Origin of the names[link]

The Latin name taraxacum originates in medieval Arabic writings on pharmacy. Al-Razi around 900 (A.D.) wrote "the tarashaquq is like chicory". Ibn Sīnā around 1000 (A.D.) wrote a book chapter on taraxacum. Gerard of Cremona, in translating Arabic to Latin around 1170, spelled it tarasacon.^[13]

The English name dandelion is a corruption of the French dent de lion^[14] meaning "lion's tooth", referring to the coarsely toothed leaves. The names of the plant have the same meaning in several other European languages, such as the Welsh dant y llew, Italian dente di leone, Catalan dent de lleó, Spanish diente de león, Portuguese dente-de-leão, Norwegian Løvetann, Danish Løvetand and German Löwenzahn.

In modern French, the plant is named pissenlit (or vernacular pisse au lit).^{[citation needed]} Likewise, "piss-a-bed" is an English folk-name for this plant,^[15] as are piscialletto in Italian, pixallits in Catalan and meacamas in Spanish.^{[citation needed]} These names refer to the strong diuretic effect of the plant's roots,^[15] either roasted or raw. In various north-eastern Italian dialects, the plant is known as pisacan ("dog pisses"), because they are found at the side of pavements.^[16]

In France, it is also known as laitue de chien (dog's lettuce), salade de taupe (mole's salad), florin d'or (golden florin); cochet (cockerel); fausse chicorée (false chicory); couronne de moine (monk's crown); baraban.^{[citation needed]}

In several European languages the plant, or at least its parachute ball stage, is named after the popular children's pastime of blowing the parachutes off the stalk: Pusteblume German for "blowing flower"), soffione (Italian for "blowing", in some northern Italian dialects),^[16] dmuchawiec (Polish, derived from the verb "blow"), одуванчик (Russian, derived from the verb "blow").^{[citation needed]}

In other languages, the plant is named after the white sap found in its stem, e.g. mlecz (derived from the Polish word for "milk"), mælkebøtte (Danish for "milk pot"), kutyatej (Hungarian for "dog milk"), маслачак (Serbian, from маслац meaning "butter").^{[citation needed]} The Lithuanian name kiaulpienė can be translated as "sow milk"^{[citation needed]}. Similarly, in Latvian it is called pienene, derived from piens ('milk'), as in Catalan is used lletsó (derived from the word llet that means "milk").^{[citation needed]}

The alternative Hungarian name gyermekláncfű ("child's chain grass") refers to the habit of children to pick dandelions, remove the flowers, and make links out of the stems by "plugging" the narrow top end of the stem into the wider bottom end.^{[citation needed]}

In Bulgarian and Macedonian its name (respectively глухарче and глуварче) is derived from the word for 'deaf' (глух, глув), because of a traditional belief that dandelion parachutes can cause deafness.

In Turkish, the dandelion is called karahindiba meaning "black endive or chicory".^[17] While the root flesh is white, the outer skin of the root is dark brown or black.

In Swedish, it is called maskros ('worm rose') after the small insects (thrips) usually present in the flowers.^[18]

In Finnish and Estonian, it is called voikukka and võilill, respectively, meaning "butter flower", referring to its buttery colour.^{[citation needed]} Similarly, in Croatian, the name of this plant (maslačak) is derived from the noun maslac, meaning butter.^[19]

In Dutch it is called paardenbloem, meaning "horse-flower".

In Chinese it is called pú gōng yīng (蒲公英), meaning "flower that grows in public spaces by the riverside".^{[citation needed]}

In Persian it is called qasedak (قاصدک), meaning the "small postman", because of a belief that it brings good news.

In Portuguese it is called dente-de-leão, also meaning "lion's tooth". Portuguese children also call them "o teu pai é careca" (your dad is bald) due to a game which consisted on blowing on a dandelion. If it was left with no seeds, that would mean the other kid's dad was bald.

In Greek its seed (and most often the plant itself) is called a kleftis (κλέφτης) meaning "thief" because it is very difficult to catch once airborne.

Properties[link]

An 85 centimetres (33 in)-tall dandelion

As a beneficial weed[link]

The dandelion plant is a beneficial weed, with a wide range of uses, and is even a good companion plant for gardening. Its taproot will bring up nutrients for shallower-rooting plants, and add minerals and nitrogen to soil. It is also known to attract pollinating insects and release ethylene gas which helps fruit to ripen.^[20]

Culinary use[link]

Dandelions are found on all continents and have been gathered since prehistory, but the varieties cultivated for consumption are mainly native to Eurasia. A perennial plant, its leaves will grow back if the taproot is left intact. To make leaves more palatable, they are often blanched to remove bitterness.^[12] Dandelion leaves and buds have been a part of traditional Sephardic, Chinese and Korean cuisine. In Crete, Greece, the leaves of a variety called Mari (Μαρί), Mariaki (Μαριάκι) or Koproradiko (Κοπροράδικο) are eaten by locals, either raw or boiled, in salads. Another species endemic to Crete, is eaten in the same way; it is found only at high altitudes (1000 to 1600 m.) and in fallow sites, and is called pentaramia (πενταράμια) or agrioradiko (αγριοράδικο) and which has been named Taraxacum megalorhizon by Prof. Michalis Damanakis of the Botanics Department of the University of Crete.^[21]

The flower petals, along with other ingredients, are used to make dandelion wine. The ground, roasted roots can be used as a caffeine-free dandelion coffee.^[22] Dandelion was also traditionally used to make the traditional British soft drink dandelion and burdock, and is one of the ingredients of root beer.

Dandelion leaves contain abundant vitamins and minerals, especially vitamins A, C and K, and are good sources of calcium, potassium, iron and manganese.^[23]

Dangers[link]

Dandelion pollen may cause allergic reactions when eaten, or adverse skin reactions in sensitive individuals. Due to its high potassium level, dandelion can also increase the risk of hyperkalemia when taken with potassium-sparing diuretics.^[24]

Herbalism[link]

Historically, dandelion was prized for a variety of medicinal properties, and it contains a wide number of pharmacologically active compounds.^[25] Dandelion is used as a folk remedy in Europe, North America and China.^[25] It has been used to treat infections, bile and liver problems,^[25] and as a diuretic.^[25] Other people use it for its supposed anti-inflammatory effects and urinary tract infections in women.^{[citation needed]}

Insects[link]

Dandelions are important plants for northern hemisphere bees, providing an important source of nectar and pollen early in the season.^[26] Dandelions are used as food plants by the larvae of some species of Lepidoptera (butterflies and moths). See List of Lepidoptera that feed on dandelions. They are also used as a source of nectar by the pearl-bordered fritillary (Boloria euphrosyne), one of the earliest emerging butterflies in the spring.

Some ants taking nectar from a dandelion.

Culture[link]

Four dandelion flowers are the emblem of White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia.^[27] The citizens celebrate spring with an annual Dandelion Festival.

The dandelion is the official flower of the University of Rochester and "Dandelion Yellow" is one of the school's official colors. The Dandelion Yellow is an official University of Rochester song.^[28]

• 

  Taraxacum denudatum H. Koidz.

• 

  Taraxacum obovatum

• 

  Taraxacum officinale

• 

  Taraxacum albidum

• 

  Pollen of unidentified Taraxacum species

See also[link]

• Dandelion and burdock
• Dandelion coffee
• List of beneficial weeds
• List of companion plants
• Medicinal properties of dandelion

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Taraxacum

• How to cook dandelions ~ at Wikibooks.

Rip Slyme (often stylized as RIP SLYME) is a Japanese hip hop group. It is composed of four MCs; Ryo-Z, Ilmari, Pes & Su, and a DJ, Fumiya. Their sound derives its influences from old school hip hop and other Hip Hop such as The Pharcyde, De La Soul, Public Enemy, Jurassic 5, the Beastie Boys, DJ Premier, Leaders of the New School.

Members[link]

• Ryo-Z: Ryouji Narita (成田亮治 Narita Ryouji), b. July 15, 1974
• Ilmari: Keisuke Ogihara (荻原恵介 Ogihara Keisuke), b. June 17, 1975
• Pes: Masatsugu Chiba (千葉昌嗣 Chiba Masatsugu), b. December 27, 1976
• Su: Kazuto Otsuki (大槻一人 Ōtsuki Kazuto), b. November 20, 1973
• Fumiya: Fumiya Takeuchi (竹内文也 Takeuchi Fumiya), b. March 14, 1979

Biography[link]

The group was formed in 1994 by Ryo-Z and Ilmari, who were later joined by Pes (he attended the same school as Ilmari). The Rip in Rip Slyme stands for their initials. Slyme was a popular children's toy at that time. Their name is also a pun on the phrase "lips' rhyme". Winning an amateur rapping contest "Young MCs In Town", they started their musical career with their first album Lips Rhyme in 1995. Later they added DJ Fumiya (who had studied under East End X Yuri's DJ Yoggy) and Su (previously a backup dancer for East End X Yuri). In 1998 they released their second album, "Talkin' Cheap" and also took part in Dragon Ash's Total Communication event.

They became ever more successful and signed to Warner Music Group in 2000. By then they had release several indie singles include their EP "Underline No. 5" and "Mata Au Hi Made" which had received the help of Fantastic Plastic Machine. "Mata Au Hi Made" was released on Warner Music Group's Indies label. Their first major single was "Stepper's Delight" released 22 March 2001. The title was a play on The Sugarhill Gang's "Rapper's Delight".

In general, Fumiya composes most of the music, while Ryo-Z, Pes, Ilmari, and Su write their own lyrics. However, before Fumiya became a member, Pes composed most of the songs. Each member has tried their hand at composing music for Rip Slyme, and Pes occasionally plays guitar on some tracks (Such as Home and More & More, for example). Allegedly, Pes was in a rock band before being introduced to hip hop music by Ilmari and Ryo-Z.

In 2002 they received MTV Video Music Awards Japan for "Best Newcomer" and "Best Hip-hop Group".

The same year they released a big-budget album "Tokyo Classic", which became Japan's first million-selling hip-hop album, with a sound compared to James Brown's soul and funk. Two singles from the album, "Funkastic" and "Rakuen Baby" collected MTV awards in 2003. "Super Shooter", featured as a B-side to their single "Galaxy", is the theme song for the anime Gantz.

To date they have released 6 indies singles with 17 major singles. They as well have released 2 indie albums, 7 major albums, 1 live album, 1 indies collection album, and 1 best of album.

From late 2005 (after the release of Good Job in August) through 2006, DJ Fumiya has been on extended break, citing illness. For performances, a friend of the band by the name of DJ Soma has been standing in. Fumiya's break has led to several interesting side projects and collaborations from other members. Fumiya is supposed to have returned to activity for concerts in late summer 2006. He has returned for the latest Rip Slyme release, Epoch.

On 7 July 2007 Rip Slyme performed their single "Nettaiya" at Live Earth in Kyoto, Japan. Later that year, they would go on to release their fifteenth major single, Speed King, and their seventh Warner album, Funfair, shortly after.

In summer 2008, they released Taiyou to Bikini, their only single that year. Later that year, three digital singles would debut, all of which would be on the February 2009 single Stairs. Rip Slyme released their eighth album, Journey, on June 10, 2009.

Rip Slyme has provided voiceover work as well as the ending theme for the Japanese dub of SpongeBob SquarePants.^[1] The episode aired on May 6, 2009.

Discography[link]

Awards and nominations[link]

2002

• MTV Video Music Awards Japan - Best Hip Hop Artist (Winner)
• MTV Video Music Awards Japan - Best New Artist (Winner)
• MTV Video Music Awards Japan - Best Live Performance

2003

• MTV Video Music Awards Japan - Video of the Year - Rakuen Baby (Winner)
• MTV Video Music Awards Japan - Best Group Video - Rakuen Baby (Winner)
• MTV Video Music Awards Japan - Best Hip Hop Video - Funktastic (Winner)
• MTV Video Music Awards Japan - Album of the Year - Tokyo Classic

2004

• MTV Video Music Awards Japan - Best Group Video - Joint
• MTV Video Music Awards Japan - Best Hip Hop Video - Joint
• MTV Video Music Awards Japan - Best buzzASIA Japan - Joint

2006

• MTV Video Music Awards Japan - Best Collaboration Video - Hotei x Rip Slyme - Battle Funkastic (Winner)

2007

• MTV Video Music Awards Japan - Best Collaboration Video - Quruli feat. Rip Slyme - Juice

2008

• MTV Video Music Awards Japan - Best Hip Hop Video - I.N.G (Winner)
• MTV Video Music Awards Japan - Best Group Video - I.N.G

2009

• MTV Video Music Awards Japan - Best Pop Video - Taiyou to Bikini

Notes[link]

References[link]

• http://metropolis.japantoday.com/tokyo/437/music_beat.asp

Connections[link]

• Teriyaki Boyz
• Dragon Ash
• Steady & Co.
• M-Flo
• Rhymester
• Fantastic Plastic Machine
• East End X Yuri
• Speed
• Da Pump
• kaela kimura

External links[link]

• Official site
• Warner's Rip Slyme Page
• Rip Locks! Radio Show
• Rip Slyme discography at MusicBrainz

Masaaki Kishibe (岸部真明-Kishibe Zhen Ming) (born January 13, 1964), is an acoustic guitarist from Japan.

Biography[link]

^[2] Masaaki Kishibe was born in Osaka and began studying piano at a young age, eventually picking up the guitar by the time he was 14. Kishibe learned both instruments at a fast pace and eventually decided he wanted to take learning music more seriously, and throughout the next decade he formally studied in music schooling, under famed Japanese guitarist, and composer, Isato Nakagawa. Masaaki would go onto learning a variety of different techniques, as well as music theory, and eventually began composing his own music using the fingerstyle technique.

In 1990, Masaaki Kishibe became a student at Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts, and moved to the United States to pursue his studies; however, having no ultimate objective in where to direct his study attention, he failed to graduate, and returned to Japan, though still humbled by his experiences in the US. He continued to self teach himself fingerstyle guitar playing, and began writing his own compositions.

In 1995, Kishibe wrote and recorded his first record, "Truth," to which he attempted to display his own personality through guitar composition and playing. While the works included many pieces that are memorable, and are cherished fan favorites, it was considered an album that had maturing to fulfill in his writing style.

Over the next four years, Kishibe would continue to improve his playing ability, as well as his writing ability, and the results came to 1999's "Growing Up".

Kishibe has continued to tour around the world, and continue to write and release music, composing 5 albums, and eventually began creating fingerstyle arrangements of popular pieces of music including, "Salut d'Amore" from the film Nuovo Cinema Paradiso, and "When You Wish Upon A Star" from the Disney children's film, Pinnochio.^[3] He has also released separate live performance and instruction DVDs. His most recent release was 2009's "12 Stories".

American audience[link]

While Kishibe is widely known around Japan and other eastern countries, he was not particularly well known in the US until he performed at the 32nd Walnut Valley Festival in Winfield, KS in 2003 taking 2nd place overall in Fingerstyle Guitar;^[4] then subsequently touring with guitarist another former Walnut Valley winner, Andy McKee, throughout Taiwan.^[5] As McKee continued to rise to fame in the US, and helped bring attention to fingerstyle playing with the uploading of his videos of Rylynn and Drifting to YouTube garnering millions of plays and overnight fandom, fans who became inspired by his form of playing would dig up more information on guitarists like Andy, particularly Andy's list of guitarists he recommended his fans to look into, which included his website for a great amount of time. As attention to McKee's recommendations grew, so did the growing popularity of music that listeners could find from Kishibe. But as his music is not available for purchase anywhere other than Japan, and only through ordering via e-mail with his Japanese distributor, Pooh Yokocho Inc, the easiest way for curious fans to hear Kishibe's music for the first time is through the few low bit rates mp3 files contained for free on his website. A particular song, "Hana," has been covered and performed by many professional and amateur guitarists around the world on YouTube. McKee himself recorded a cover of it on his 2009 EP Common Ground. While Kishibe still has no American distribution, his fanbase continues to grow through the underground internet music community.

Discography[link]

References[link]

External links[link]

• Official Masaaki Kishibe website