Lactuca, commonly known as lettuce, is a genus of flowering plants in the daisy family Asteraceae. The genus includes about 100 species, distributed worldwide, but mainly in temperate Eurasia.
Its best-known representative is the garden lettuce (Lactuca sativa), with its many varieties. "Wild lettuce" commonly refers to the wild-growing cousins of common garden lettuce. Many species are common weeds. They are annuals or perennials. Their height c...
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Lactuca, commonly known as lettuce, is a genus of flowering plants in the daisy family Asteraceae. The genus includes about 100 species, distributed worldwide, but mainly in temperate Eurasia.
Its best-known representative is the garden lettuce (Lactuca sativa), with its many varieties. "Wild lettuce" commonly refers to the wild-growing cousins of common garden lettuce. Many species are common weeds. They are annuals or perennials. Their height can vary between 10-180 cm. They form heads or capitula in panicles of yellow, brown or purple flowers in ray florets.
The non-edible species may contain bitter elements. Others contain a milky juice.
Lactuca species are used as food plants by the larvae of a number of Lepidoptera species - see list of Lepidoptera that feed on lettuces.
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