Lactuca muralis

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Lactuca muralis
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Eudicots
(unranked): Asterids
Order: Asterales
Family: Asteraceae
Genus: Lactuca
Species: L. muralis
Binomial name
Lactuca muralis
(L.) Gaertn.
Synonyms
  • Lactuca muralis Fresen
  • Mycelis muralis Dumort

Lactuca muralis (wall lettuce), or Mycelis muralis, is a perennial flowering plant of the genus Lactuca in the family Asteraceae, subfamily Cichorioideae, tribe Cichorieae.

Its chief characteristic is an open airy clumps of yellow flowers. Each "flower" is actually a composite flower, consisting of five petal-like flowers (strap or ray flowers), each approximately 5–7 mm in length. Lactuca muralis grows about 2–4 feet tall with the lower leaves pinnately toothed and clasping.

It is a native of Europe but has invaded shady roadsides, paths and logged areas of the Pacific Northwest.[1]

It can be found in woodlands, especially Beech. It is also found in calcerous soils, and walls.

Description

It grows from 25 to 150 cm tall, is slender and hairless. It often has purplish stems, and exudes a milky juice.

The lower leaves are lyre shaped, pinnate shaped. The lobes are triangular in shape. The upper leaves are stalkless, smaller and less lobed. All leaves are red tinged.[2]

The achenes are short beaked, spindle shaped and black. The pappus has simple white hairs, the inner longer than the outer.

The flower heads are yellow, small, 1 cm wide more or less, on branches 90 degrees to the main stem. It flowers from June until September.[3] It has 5 yellow ray florets.[4]

References

  1. ↑ Turner and Gustafson, Wildflowers of the Pacific Northwest.
  2. ↑ Blamey, Fitter, Fitter, Marjorie, Richard, Alistair (2003). Wild Flowers of Britain and Ireland. A & C Black - London. pp. 302–303. ISBN 0-7136-5944-0. 
  3. ↑ Rose, Francis (1981). The Wild Flower Key. Frederick Warne & Co. pp. 390–391. ISBN 0-7232-2419-6. 
  4. ↑ Sterry, Paul (2006). Complete British Wild Flowers. HarperColins Publishers Ltd. pp. 212–213. ISBN 978-0-00-781484-8. 
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