Dandelions (Taraxacum) of the section Erythrosperma were studied in Moravia, Czech Republic, where both sexual diploid and apomictic polyploid species occur. Diploid species T. erythrospermum grows in the warmest part of southern Moravia and is confined to natural dry grasslands, whereas some apomictic species have ranges extending up to the submontane regions and prefer ruderal habits. Altogether, 21 apomictic types were found repeatedly but only seven were identified as previously described species: T. arcuatum, T. danubium, T. lacistophylloides, T. parnassicum, T. plumbeum, T. proximum and T. scanicum. Descriptions, notes on variation and distribution in Moravia, dot maps and pictures are given for eight species.
Two new species, Taraxacum maricum and Taraxacum cristatum, of the section Erythrosperma from Central Europe are described in this paper. These species are similar to western European taxa, T. maricum to T. proximum, and T. cristatum is morphologically close to T. scanicum. Both new taxa are triploid apomictic microspecies. Specific characteristics, information on distribution and ecology and comparison with similar species are presented. Pictures and distribution maps of the new species are also included.