Lactuca graminifolia Michx.

Grassleaf Lettuce; Coastal Plain Lettuce

Herb

Biennial

Vascular

Grassleaf Lettuce is a native biennial in the Sunflower family (Asteraceae). It is found primarily in the southern half of Alabama. Grassleaf Lettuce grows in scrub oak woods, in pine woods, on roadside banks, and in disturbed areas. It is a biennial from a tap root. Stems are green or purplish in color, up to 3 feet in height, and exude a milky white latex sap when injured. Leaves are basal and cauline. Basal leaves form a rosette during the first year of growth. They usually persist through flowering. Cauline leaves are sessile, clasping, alternate, and reduced in size upwards. Leaves are spathulate to linear. The margins are entire or rarely denticulate. Flowers are produced in heads. The heads are arranged in paniculiate arrays. Each head has 15-20 ray flowers and no disc flowers. Flower color ranges from purple through blue, to pink and almost white. The fruit is an achene with a filiform beak and white pappus. Grassleaf Lettuce is a relative of the common garden Lettuce (Lactuca sativa Linnaeus). Grassleaf Lettuce is usually not considered palatable because the milky sap is very bitter.--A. Diamond

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Native FACU (NWPL)

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