Volume 13 > Part 2 > Year 2016 > Page 341 > Compositae (Asteraceae) > Lactuca

1. Lactuca indica L.wfo-0000039155

Mant. Pl. Altera 278. 1771; Gagnep., Fl. Indo-Chine 3: 654. 1924; Kitam., Mem. Coll. Sci. Univ. Kyoto, B 23: 136. 1956; Backer & Bakh.f., Fl. Java 2: 436. 1965; H.Koyama, Bull. Natl. Sci. Mus., Tokyo, B 27(4): 138. 2001; C.Shih & N.Kilian, Fl. China 20–21: 235. 2011.

Accepted Name : This is currently accepted.

Description : Annual or biennial herb, to 2.5 m tall; glabrous; stems from fusiform roots, erect, usually simple or branched in upper part, branches ending in inflorescences. Leaves: radical leaves withering before flowering; lower cauline leaves lanceolate or narrowly oblong in outline, 13–25 by 2–11 cm, usually pinnately incised or partite, apex acuminate, lower surface glaucous; upper leaves smaller, usually entire. Inflorescences narrow cylindrical panicles, 20–40 cm long, with numerous capitula; peduncles ca 1.5–7 cm long. Capitula ca 2 cm diam. at flowering; involucres tubular, 10–13 mm long at flowering, 13–15 mm long after flowering; phyllaries 3- or 4-seriate, imbricate, inner phyllaries 8, uniseriate; receptacle areolate. Florets 20–30 per capitulum, bisexual; ligules yellowish violet or pale yellow, angular-obovate, ca 5 by 0.8 mm, apex 5-denticulate. Achenes ellipsoid, ca 5 by 2.5 mm, compressed, inclusive of short beak, 1-ribbed on each side; pappus 7–8 mm long, white.

Thailand : NORTHERN: Chiang Mai (Doi Chiang Dao).

Distribution : China (Yunnan), Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia (Java – type).

Ecology : By paths and clearings in evergreen forests with bamboo by streams, ca 1,200 m alt. Flowering: probably throughout the year.