Twoflower Dwarfdandelion

Krigia biflora is known from the Eastern deciduous forest biome, tallgrass prairie, Rocky Mountain forest, and Madrean woodlands. It appears to spread clonally by adventitious buds on the roots. It is related to the more leafy-stemmed, freely branching K. montana (K. J. Kim and B. L. Turner 1992); their habital differences are less clear where they are sympatric in the southern Appalachians. An alloploid hybrid between them has become established (see 3. K. montana).

Perennials, 10–70 cm; caudices stout, fibrous-rooted (sometimes propagating by adventitious buds on roots). Stems 1–5+, erect, scapiform, eglandular or glandular-villous distally. Leaves mostly basal (rosettes), some cauline (proximal); petioles ± winged; blades oblance-olate to obovate or spatulate, 5–25 cm, margins entire or remotely dentate to pinnately lobed, lobes narrow to bluntly triangular or rounded, apices acute to obtuse or rounded, faces glabrous. eglandular (usually glaucous); cauline 1–4, sessile, lanceolate, bases sheathing or auriculate-clasping, usually entire, distalmost sometimes reduced, bractlike. Heads (2–)3–20+. Peduncles usually in groups of 2–6 from axils of single or paired distal cauline bracts. Involucres 7–11 mm. Phyllaries 8–18, reflexed in fruit. lanceolate, midveins obscure, apices acute, faces glabrous. Florets 25–60; corollas orange or yellow-orange, 15–25 mm. Cypselae reddish brown, columnar, 2–2.5 mm, 12–15-ribbed; pappi of ca. 10 outer scales 0.3–0.5 mm plus 20–40, barbellulate inner bristles 4.5–5.5 mm. 2n = 10, 20.

Hyoseris biflora Walter, Fl. Carol., 194. 1788; Cynthia virginica (Linnaeus) D. Don ex de Candolle; C. viridis Standley; H. amplexicaulis Michaux; Krigia amplexicaulis (Michaux) Nuttall; K. biflora var. viridis (Standley) K. J. Kim; Tragopogon virginicus Linnaeus

Krigia biflora, also known as two-flower cynthia or two-flower dwarf dandelion, is a species of plant in the family Asteraceae. It is native to North America, where it is found in central Canada (Manitoba and Ontario) and in the eastern, central, and southwestern United States. This species is rare in Connecticut, and it is listed as a species of special concern.

Krigia biflora is an erect perennial growing 450–800 mm (18–31 in) tall. One plant can have 20 or more flower heads, very often two per flower stalk, each head with 25–60 yellow to orange-yellow ray flowers about 25–40 mm (1–1+1⁄2 in) across. There are no disc flowers. It can be an aggressively spreading plant. It grows in a variety of habitats and soils and blooms in late spring to late summer. The name of the plant consists of two words: Krigia for David Krieg, the German physician who first collected this plant in Maryland; and biflora, meaning two-flowered. Its habitats include streams, meadows, and moist prairies.