Illinois Natural History Survey - University of Illinois

Lactuca serriola
Prickly lettuce, Wild lettuce, China lettuce
Taxonomy

Synonyms: Lactuca scariola

Subspecific taxa:

Classification:

Other taxonomic & nomenclature sources: USDA Plants;  ITIS;  The Plant List;  IPNI

Species Distribution
If map does not appear refresh browser Refresh
Click map to view & download detailed occurrence records

More about map & occurrence records

County Map Legend
Absent:
Not known from county
Medium confidence:
Medium or unknown confidence;
often old records or unverifiable observations
Medium-high confidence:
Often observations by expert botanists
High confidence:
Often vouchered herbarium records
Planted / introduced:
Native species introduced outside historic range,
or only in planted locations within county (e.g., restorations)
Historic / extirpated:
Only historic records for the species; likely extirpated
(Note that this category is not yet functional)

North American distribution maps for this species: FLNA;  USDA Plants;  BONAP;  BISON

Collections, Observations & Flowering by Month [?]

J
0
F
0
M
0
A
0
M
0
J
0
J
0
A
0
S
0
O
0
N
0
D
0

Collections & Observations by Decade [?]

Species Status

Status/Listing: No Information

Notes:

Origin: Europe

Species Description

General: Dicot-herb, biennial, annual

Roots: primary

Shoots: alternate leaf arrangment; simple leaf type; serrate, lobed (pinnately), parted (pinnately) leaf margin; Pinnate leaf venation; linear, oblong, lanceolate, sagittate leaf shape

Inflorescence: panicle, head

Flowers: perfect; 5 merous; complete, irregular; yellow; epigynous ovary position

Fruit: achene

Physiology: autotrophic; C3 C02 fixation

Reproduction: sexual

Ecology & Natural History

Habitat: Wastes; roads; railroads.

ILPIN Notes: Naturalized. Tender young leafy shoots in spring cooked as wild greens. Leaves prickly on the midrib beneath and on margins. Flowers yellow, often drying blue. Leaves in a vertical position, with one edge up; most of the leaves pointing in a North-South direction. Stephens, H.A. 1980. Poisonous Plants of Central United States. Specific epithets "serriola" is original, "scariola" is orthographic, later variant. Including var. integrata (Gren. and Godr.) Farw.

Functional Relationships:

  • Pollinators: insect
  • Dispersal:
  • Mycorrhizae:
  • N2 fixation:

Human Relationships:

  • Edibility [?] :
  • Showy Flowers:

Wildlife and Livestock Information:

  • Food Value:
  • Cover Value:

Coefficient of Conservatism (C-value) [?] :

  • Entire State:
  • Chicago Area:

Post a Comment or Question About this Plant
Name

Email address (required)

Comment? Question? 300 word limit (required)




Enter the text code above (required)

Note: All submissions are moderated and only some are posted. Posted comments may be edited for length. An email address will not be posted, but it is required for communication with the site moderator. Comments focused outside of Illinois and neighboring states may be posted, but more attention will be given to Illinois centered information. Thanks for your interest.