If you look at the pictures below, you can see closeups of the pappus. A pappus is a modified outer whorl of flowers of the Asteraceae family. It consists of the achene (seed) with bristles or scales at the top of the achene. This species has five white scales (that look a bit like flower petals) and five long bristles. A related species, Two-Flowered Dwarf Dandelion (Krigia biflora) has 10 scales and 20-35 long bristles.
