Lactuca floridana (Linnaeus) Gaertner. Common name: Woodland Lettuce. Phenology: Aug-Nov. Habitat: Mesic and dry-mesic forests. Distribution: NY, MB and MN south to s. FL and TX.
Origin/Endemic status: Native
Synonymy ⓘ: = Ar, C, Fl7, FNA19, K3, K4, Mi, NcTx, NY, RAB, SE1, Tn, Va, W, WH3, WV; > Lactuca floridana (L.) Gaertn. var. floridana – F, G, GrPl, Il, K1, Oh3, Pa; > Lactuca floridana (L.) Gaertn. var. villosa (Jacq.) Cronquist – F, G, GrPl, Il, K1, Oh3, Pa; > Lactuca villosa Jacq. – Tat; > Mulgedium floridanum (L.) DC. – S; > Mulgedium villosum (Jacq.) Small – S
Links to other floras: = Lactuca floridana - FNA19
Wetland Indicator Status:
- Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain: FACU
- Eastern Mountains and Piedmont: FACU
- Great Plains: FAC
- Midwest: FACU
- Northcentral & Northeast: FACU
Heliophily ⓘ: 6
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© Alan M. Cressler | Original Image ⭷
© Gary P. Fleming | Original Image ⭷
© Keith Bradley | Original Image ⭷
© Richard & Teresa Ware CC-BY-NC, permission granted to NCBG | Original Image ⭷
© Keith Bradley | Original Image ⭷
© Gary P. Fleming | Original Image ⭷
© Aidan Campos source | Original Image ⭷Feedback
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Horticultural Information
Intro: Erect-ascending annual/biennial of well-drained floodplains, moist to somewhat dry upland forests, thickets and clearings.
Stems: Stems unbranched, purplish-green, smooth, oozing milky sap when broken.
Leaves: Leaves alternate, sessile-clasping above and petiolate below, lance-shaped to triangular, to 8 in. long, toothed or deeply lobed (the terminal lobe usually triangular), smooth except for some hairs along veins beneath.
Inforescence:
Flowers: Composite flowers (heads) in wide-branching terminal cluster; heads less than 1/2 in. wide and consisting of 11-27 pale blue to lavender ray florets with squared-off, toothed tips. Narrow, purple-tipped, green bracts surround the cylindric base of each head.
Fruits: Fruit a fluffy cluster of flattened, white-tufted achenes.
Comments:
Height: 1 1/2-6 1/2 ft.
plant sale text:
bloom table text:
description: Erect-ascending annual/biennial of well-drained floodplains, moist to somewhat dry upland forests, thickets and clearings.
stems: Stems unbranched, purplish-green, smooth, oozing milky sap when broken.
leaves: Leaves alternate, sessile-clasping above and petiolate below, lance-shaped to triangular, to 8 in. long, toothed or deeply lobed (the terminal lobe usually triangular), smooth except for some hairs along veins beneath.
inflorescence:
flowers: Composite flowers (heads) in wide-branching terminal cluster; heads less than 1/2 in. wide and consisting of 11-27 pale blue to lavender ray florets with squared-off, toothed tips. Narrow, purple-tipped, green bracts surround the cylindric base of each head.
fruits: Fruit a fluffy cluster of flattened, white-tufted achenes.
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