"Ezo-tanpopo" (Taraxacum hondoense) belongs to Asteraceae (the Aster family). It is a perennial herb that is native to Japan, northward from Chubu district of Honshu to Hokkaido. This herb grows in fields or mountains and can reach 25-30 cm in height. The leaves are oblanceolate or lanceolate and pinnatipartite. The dark yellow flower-heads come on the stalks from March to May. The outer involcal bracts are ovate to broad-ovate. They have not usually triangular projections at the tips.