Lactuca saligna

Willow lettuce (Lactuca saligna )

The willow lettuce (Lactuca saligna ) is a species of the genus lettuce (Lactuca ) in the sunflower family ( Asteraceae).

Description

The willow lettuce is an annual or biennial herbaceous plant, reaching heights of growth from 30 to 60 (rarely up to 100) centimeters. The upright, branched stem is bare and whitish. The lower leaves are undivided to pinnatifid, with few very small side lobes, the upper leaves are entire, and oblong to linear with arrow-shaped base.

The Rispige total inflorescence contains numerous basket- like inflorescences. The usually almost sessile cups are individually or up to third on virgate branches. Each cup contains only 6 to 15 bright yellow ray florets. The light brown achenes are 5-8 mm long, seven-to achtrippig and the beak is one and a half to three times as long as the lower part of the fruit.

The flowering period extends from July to August.

The chromosome number is 2n = 18

Occurrence

The distribution area of willow cos ranges from Mediterranean to Middle East and Central Asia. Neophyte deposits are found in North America ( Southeastern Canada, USA, Mexico), South America (Argentina, Uruguay) as well as in Australia and New Zealand. In Europe, it comes from southern Europe, north to central Europe, England and southern Russia before. In Germany the pastures Cos today is almost extinct, there is of him in Baden- Württemberg only a few sites. The causes of the decline are unclear.

The willow lettuce thrives on dry, nutrient-rich calcareous loam or clay soils in weed corridors of vineyards, along paths and waste places. He prefers warm temperatures and salt ertragend.