Lactuca sativa L.

Bernal, R., G. Galeano, A. Rodríguez, H. Sarmiento y M. Gutiérrez. 2017. Nombres Comunes de las Plantas de Colombia. http://www.biovirtual.unal.edu.co/nombrescomunes/

Vernacular

lechuga, lechuga arrepollada, lechuga crespa

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds Protein Content

26.80% Entire seed/nut. Moisture content not stated (Earle & Jones, 1962)

M. Thulin et al. Flora of Somalia, Vol. 1-4 [updated 2008] https://plants.jstor.org/collection/FLOS

Morphology General Habit

Annual or biennial with a dense basal rosette and erect flowering stems up to 1 m tall, glabrous

Morphology Leaves

Basal leaves entire to pinnatifid, shortly petiolate; stem leaves sessile, cordate-amplexicaul

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Capitula numerous in dense paniculate inflorescences

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets

Florets pale yellow, often violet-streaked

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Achenes 6–8 mm long, body obovate in outline, 5–9-ribbed, beak as long as body.

Distribution

Cultivated at least in N1 and N2 at intermediate altitudes. Probably of East Mediterranean origin, now grown throughout the world.

Vernacular

Lettuce (English).

The Useful Plants of Boyacá project

Distribution

Cultivated in Colombia.

Ecology

Alt. 2514 - 2890 m.

Distribution

Biogeografic region: Andean. Elevation range: 2514–2890 m a.s.l. Cultivated in Colombia. Naturalised in Colombia. Colombian departments: Antioquia, Bogotá DC, Boyacá, Cundinamarca.

Habit

Herb.

Ecology

Habitat according IUCN Habitats Classification: forest and woodland, shrubland, artificial - terrestrial.

Vernacular

Lechuga

Compositae, H. Beentje, C. Jeffrey & D.J.N. Hind. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 2005

Vernacular

Lettuce

Note

Is widely cultivated as a leaf vegetable, though I have seen no herbarium specimens from our area.

Morphology General Habit

Lettuce is annual or biennial

Morphology Leaves

Rosette of sessile, amplexicaul leaves

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

The yellow florets are held in few-flowered capitula, in large paniculate inflorescences

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts

The involucre is 9–12 mm long

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

The pappus 3 mm long.

Bernal, R., Gradstein, S.R. & Celis, M. (eds.). 2015. Catálogo de plantas y líquenes de Colombia. Instituto de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá. http://catalogoplantasdecolombia.unal.edu.co

Distribution

Cultivada en Colombia; Alt. 2514 - 2890 m.; Andes.

Morphology General Habit

Hierba

Ghazanfar, S. A., Edmondson, J. R. & Hind, D. J. N. (Eds). (2019). Flora of Iraq, Volume 6: Compositae.Kew Publishing

Recognition

The cultivated lettuce may be recognized by the thin-textured, broad, glabrous rosette leaves. Its fertile parts resemble L. serriola, from which it is believed to have originated, except that the achenes vary with the varieties cultivated and may be dark grey or white and often lack the spinules so characteristic of L. serriola.

Distribution

Cultivated in many parts of Iraq and eaten as a vegetable. Native distribution unknown; exists only in cultivation and as an escape.

Vernacular

Lettuce, Garden Lettuce, KHASS, KAHU (Kurd.). “Wild Lettuce”, as opposed to cultivated, are covered by such common names as MURRAIR “bitter weed”, UMM AL- HALÎB, “milky weed” (literally “mother of milk”) etc.

Use Gene Sources

Crop wild relatives which may possess beneficial traits of value in breeding programmes (State of the World's Plants 2016).

Use Medicines Unspecified Medicinal Disorders

Medicinal (Instituto Humboldt 2014).

Use Animal Food

Used as animal food.

Use Gene Sources

Used as gene sources.

Use Food

Used for food.

Use Materials

Used as material.

Use Medicines

Medical uses.

Use Poisons

Poisons.