Did you know there are over 2000 kinds of dandelions?!!! Many of them are almost identical to the point that one must use a microscope to tell one from another! It's also hard to identify the flower I have using my flower books because the pictures are often small and difficult to see. And if you'll indulge my sarcasm, it's really helpful when books show a picture of a flower in seed stage instead of the blossom, especially when all of these flowers have nearly the same seed heads! *crosses eyes* However, I think this is the right species!

This flower also goes by the name "Annual Agoseris" and can be found in drier areas of the western United States. It's considered to be a noxious weed and spreads easily by way of its airborne seeds.

If you would like to know more about this flower, Wiki has a page here: Wiki: Mountain Dandelion: (Agoseris heterophylla)