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Wild Lettuce

Lactuca quercina

Also called Oak Leaved Lettuce

Wild Lettuce
Photo: Unknown author, CC BY-SA 3.0
Family
Asteraceae (Daisy family)
Grows as
Annual
Native range
Europe to W. Himalaya
Climate
temperate

About

Lactuca quercina is a species of wild lettuce native to Europe and Asia. It is an annual or biennial herb in the tribe Cichorieae within the family Asteraceae growing from a taproot to maximum heights of 50–200 cm (19.5–78.5 in) or more.

Lactuca quercina contains lactucarium, which is the milky sap (white latex) that flows through the stem, leaves, and roots of the plant. It is used as a medicinal herb when dried after contact with air. It may be used as medicinal treatments for its anodyne, antispasmodic, digestive, diuretic, hypnotic, narcotic, and sedative properties. Concentrations of lactucarium are low in young plants, but increase in older plants, occurring highest when in blooming period. Sap may be applied to skin in use for treatment of external warts.

Other Lactuca plants

Cicerbita macrophylla · Lactuca aculeata · Lactuca alpestris · Tall blue lettuce · Canada lettuce · Lactuca dissecta · Lactuca dolichophylla · Woodland lettuce · Grassleaf lettuce · Hairy lettuce · Indian lettuce · African Lettuce

Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Lactuca quercina by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts are shared under the same licence.

Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.

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