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Lactuca (from the old Latin name lac; referring to the milky juice). Compositae. Lettuce. A well-known group of hardy annual or perennial herbs, mostly native of the northern hemisphere.
Plants 2-4 or more feet high, with alternate, variously shaped lvs. and small-panicled heads of yellow, white or blue fls.: involucre cylindric, its bracts imbricated in several series; receptacle flat, naked; rays cut off even at apex, and 5-toothed. — More than 200 specific names have been given to the genus, probably half of which are synonyms with but only 8 or 9 known in cult., and these are doubtless forms of but 2 or 3 species. Aside from garden lettuce, only 1 species appears to be in the trade, though wild plants of other species are often gathered for medicinal purposes. All of the species possess narcotic and sedative properties, the sedative known as lactucarium, or lettuce-opium, being obtained principally from the European species, L. virosa. Lettuce has been known and used as a salad from a very remote period. It is said to have been served at the tables of Persian kings 400 B. C. See Lettuce.
Lactuca sativa, Lettuce. An annual plant, not known in the wild state but generally supposed to have originated from L. Scariola,Linn., in Asia. There are many garden forms assuming an endless variety of forms but which may be divided into 4 rather distinct types.
Var. capitata (L. capitata). Common Cabbage Lettuce. Lvs. entire or sparingly dentate, broad, rounded, yellowish or brownish green, more or less wrinkled and in some garden varieties much curled, spreading, 6-14 in., usually quite compact.
Var. intybacea (L. intybacea, L. quercina). Cut-leaved Lettuce. Lvs. 6-10 in. long, deeply and irregularly cut on the edges, loosely spreading.
Var. romana, Cos Lettuce. One to 2 ft. high: lvs. entire or sparingly dentate, much longer than broad, quite erect, forming a cylindrical or conical- shaped plant.
Var. angustana (L. angustana). Lvs. 1-2 in. wide, 6-12 in. long, entire, slightly spreading in habit.
Lactuca plumieri, Gren. & Godr. St. about 6 ft., stout: lvs. much cut, broadly oblong, bluish on the under side: fl.-heads terminal, corymbose, the rays purple. S. France. June-Aug.
L. Bourgaei (Boiss.) , is a thick-stemmed bristly-lvd. perennial often 6 ft. tall: heads small, with pinkish bracts and lilac rays. Medit. region. — L. canadensia, Linn. Biennial or annual 4-9 ft. high: lvs. entire or nearly so. Wild plants often gathered for salad.— L. perennis, Linn. Root perennial, 2-3 ft. high: Ivs. 8-10 in. long, deeply cut: fls. large, light blue. Native of Eu. — L. Scariola. Linn. Prickly Lettuce. Annual or biennial, sometimes 6 ft. high, the st. stiff and often paniculately branched: lvs. 1-2 in. wide, 4-6 in. long: fls. yellow, inconspicuous. Intro, from Old World, and now a widely distributed weed.
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