I have a collection of Dandelions (the genus Taraxacum) including several French cultivars, a species from Bear Island, a white flowered Spitsbergen variant, a variegated dandelion, the pink flowered Taraxacum alboroseum, the red-leaved Taraxacum faroense and least but not least the Rubber Dandelion (Taraxacum kok-saghyz), cultivated both in Russia and the US in a big way during the last world war (when tropical rubber supplies dried up). The recent increasing interest in homeland security has lead to a boom in Taraxacum (rubber) research. Incidentally, I accidentally found myself controlling homeland security in both the US, Russia and Japan as in 2007 I was apparently the sole global supplier of Rubber Dandelion seed (which I collected in my garden to hopefully trade my way to new and wonderful species). I sold seed that year for EUR 1,000!! (true), but the market has sadly since dried up, so I couldn't retire as the world's first Rubber Dandelion baron. The rubber dandelion looks identical to the common garden variety to the untrained eye...
I am currently looking for the rare Gough Island Dandelion if anyone stumbles over one...
...and please mind your language when talking about my friends...