Article

Lactuca virosa L. subsp. virosa

Nomenclature
GRIN Taxonomy Lactuca virosa L. subsp. virosa
Cichorieae Portal Lactuca virosa L. subsp. virosa


Native distribution
Europe Andorra; Belgium; France; Germany; Greece; Italy; Luxembourg; Macedonia; Portugal; Romania; Slovenia; Spain; Switzerland
Africa Algeria; Morocco


Key features
Lettuce gene pool Tertiary relative
Chromosome number 2n = 18
Habitat Ruderal places
Life history Annual; biennial
Breeding system Autogamous
Flower colour Yellow
EURISCO (Dec. 2017) 240 accessions


Morphological description
Plant Height up to 200 cm, with fusiform, branched, foetid root
Stem Erect, glabrous or setose below
Leaves Broad, non-lobed, ovate-oblong in outline or pinnatifid to pinnatisect with broad, backwards curved lobes. All with blunt apex and sagittate base green or violet tinged, spinolis-ciliate on the midrib and sometimes also on the lateral nerves beneath
Inflorescence Long, pyramidal panicle. Bracts ovate, with appressed rounded auricles
Heads Numerous, 10 mm in diameter, composed of c. 15 florets. Involucral bracts ovate, 10-12 mm long, glabrous. Ligules pale yellow
Achenes Broadly elliptical, 6-10 mm long, narrowly winged, rugose but not spiculate or setose, 5-ribbed, blackish. Beak filiform, white, as long as body. Pappus white
Reference Cichorieae Portal - based on Feráková V. (1977) The Genus Lactuca in Europe. Bratislava