Article

Lactuca altaica Fisch. & C.A. Mey.

Nomenclature
The Plant List Lactuca serriola L.
GRIN Taxonomy Lactuca altaica Fisch. & C.A. Mey.
Cichorieae Portal Lactuca serriola L.
Tropicos Lactuca serriola L.


Native distribution
Asia China; Kazakhstan; Kyrgyzstan; Russian Federation; Tajikistan; Turkmenistan; Uzbekistan


Key features
Lettuce gene pool Primary relative
Chromosome number 2n = 18
Habitat Steppe; ruderal places
Life history Annual; biennial
Breeding system Autogamous
Flower colour Yellow
EURISCO (Dec. 2017) 19 accessions


Morphological description
Plant Height 50-120 cm, root fusiform
Rosette leaves Non-lobed to pinnatisect, entire or dentate
Stem Whitish, often violet tinged, sometimes branched, setose below
Stem leaves Linear-lanceolate or oblong with acute apex and sagittate base, all rigid, almost glossy, spinulose on midvein beneath
Inflorescence Narrow, spike-like or corymbose flat-topped panicle
Heads 7-17 florets. Ligules longer than involucre, pale yellow. Involucral bracts in 4 rows, erect and rigid when achenes ripe. Outer bracts usually appressed hairy from inside
Achenes Obovate or elliptical, 6-10 mm long, 0.6-0.8 mm broad, setose at apex, 5-10 ribs, brownish or greyish, very similar to those of L. serriola. Beak white, filiform, as long as body. Pappus white
Reference Feráková V. (1977) The Genus Lactuca in Europe. Bratislava