Lactuca saligna L.
Usually glabrous annual or biennial. Stems ascending, not or sparingly branched, glabrous, grooved, 40-60 cm tall. Lvs green, glabrous or sometimes with spines along midrib beneath. Rosette and lower stem lvs green, tapering to base, 3-10 × 1-2 cm, pinnatifid; lobes slender, linear, acute, recurved, entire. Upper lvs sessile, linear, hastate and amplexicaul at base. Infl. spicate. Capitula numerous. Involucre narrowly cylindric, 8-15 mm long; bracts imbricate, erecto-patent at fruiting; outermost bracts lanceolate, acuminate, 1/5-1/6 length of innermost bracts; innermost bracts linear, subacute to acute. Florets c. 11/2× length of involucre; corollas suberect, pale yellow. Achenes pale brown or grey, 7-8-ribbed on each face, obovate, flattened, scabrid distally on ribs; body 3-4 mm long; beak pale, 11/2-2× length of body. Pappus fine, white.
N.: Northland, East Cape (Mata R. and Gisborne), Hawke's Bay (Bay View).
Europe, Mediterranean, Caucasus 1899
Pastures, disturbed ground.
Chondrilla juncea has a similar habit to L. saligna, but differs in its basal lvs which have triangular lobes, and its very pale terete or weakly flattened achenes with a distinctive corona of 5 scales below the beak. Cichorium intybus also has a similar habit, but its florets are blue or rarely white, its involucral bracts have long glandular hairs, and its achenes have a short pappus of scales and no beak.
