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Asteraceae
Lactuca

not marked as a favorite taxon *Lactuca serriola Linnaeus. Common name: Prickly Lettuce. Phenology: Jun-Nov. Habitat: Roadsides, disturbed ground, pastures. Distribution: Native of Eurasia.

Glossary (beta!)

Origin/Endemic status: Eurasia

Synonymy ⓘ: = Ar, C, Fl7, FNA19, GrPl, Il, K4, Mi, NcTx, NE, NY, Pa, POWO, SE1, Tn, Va, WH3; = Lactuca scariola L. — F, RAB; = Lactuca scariola L. var. scariola — Tat; > Lactuca scariola L. — S; > Lactuca serriola L. var. integrata Gren. & Godr. — G, Oh3, Tat, W; > Lactuca serriola L. var. serriola — Oh3; > Lactuca virosa L. — S, misapplied. Basionym: Lactuca serriola L. 1756

Links to other floras: = Lactuca serriola - FNA19

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Wetland Indicator Status:

  • Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain: FAC
  • Eastern Mountains and Piedmont: FAC
  • Great Plains: FAC
  • Midwest: FACU
  • Northcentral & Northeast: FACU

Heliophily ⓘ: 9

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image #1 of Lactuca serriola© Aidan Campos source | Original Image ⭷
image #2 of Lactuca serriola© Gary P. Fleming | Original Image ⭷
image #4 of Lactuca serriola© Richard & Teresa Ware CC-BY-NC, permission granted to NCBG | Original Image ⭷
image #5 of Lactuca serriola© Aidan Campos source | Original Image ⭷
image #6 of Lactuca serriola© Aidan Campos source | Original Image ⭷
image #7 of Lactuca serriola© Aidan Campos source | Original Image ⭷
image #8 of Lactuca serriola© Gary P. Fleming
image #9 of Lactuca serriola© Aidan Campos source | Original Image ⭷

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Horticultural Information

NCBG trait

Intro: Erect annual/biennial of roadsides, pastures and other disturbed places. Native of Europe.

Stems: Stems stout, green or reddish-tan and white-waxy, smooth or with bristles below.

Leaves: Leaves alternate, sessile, oblong to spoon-shaped with lobed bases, 2-6 in. long, pinnately lobed with spiny-toothed margins, spiny on midrib beneath; often twisted at the base and thus oriented vertically.

Inforescence:

Flowers: Composite flowers (heads) in large, widely branched, pyramidal cluster at top of stem; heads about 1/3 in. wide, consisting of 5-27 yellow ray florets with squared-off, toothed tips.

Fruits: Fruit a fluffy cluster of flattened, tufted achenes.

Comments:

Height: 1-6 1/2 ft.

plant sale text:

bloom table text:

description: Erect annual/biennial of roadsides, pastures and other disturbed places. Native of Europe.

stems: Stems stout, green or reddish-tan and white-waxy, smooth or with bristles below.

leaves: Leaves alternate, sessile, oblong to spoon-shaped with lobed bases, 2-6 in. long, pinnately lobed with spiny-toothed margins, spiny on midrib beneath; often twisted at the base and thus oriented vertically.

inflorescence:

flowers: Composite flowers (heads) in large, widely branched, pyramidal cluster at top of stem; heads about 1/3 in. wide, consisting of 5-27 yellow ray florets with squared-off, toothed tips.

fruits: Fruit a fluffy cluster of flattened, tufted achenes.

comments:

cultural notes:

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