Canada lettuce
(Lactuca canadensis)
Conservation • Wetland • Description • Habitat • Ecology • Use • Distribution • Taxonomy
Conservation Status |
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| IUCN Red List | not listed |
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| NatureServe | N5? - Secure SNR - Unranked |
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| Minnesota | not listed |
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Wetland Indicator Status |
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| Great Plains | FACU - Facultative upland |
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| Midwest | FACU - Facultative upland |
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| Northcentral & Northeast | FACU - Facultative upland |
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Description |
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Canada lettuce is a 1′ to 8′ tall, erect. biennial forb with a thick, deep taproot. The stems and leaves contain a milky latex. The stems are leafy, smooth, light green, and may have purple streaks. The leaves are alternate, light gray-green to dark green, often with purple edges or a yellowish cast. They are up to 10″ long and 3″ wide. They are stemless, with the basal lobes partly surrounding the stem (clasping). They do not have prickles on the leaf margin. The midvein on the underside may have short, fine hairs, but not prickles. The inflorescence is a tall, narrow, cone-shaped, loosely-branched cluster. The flower heads are about ⅜″ across and have 13 to 22 ray florets. The fruit is a brown achene with fluffy, white bristles attached to the tip. |
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Height |
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1′ to 8′ |
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Flower Color |
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Pale yellow |
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Similar Species |
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Prickly lettuce (Lactuca serriola) has blue-green leaves with prickles on the leaf margins and on the underside of the midvein. The pale yellow rays in the flower heads have truncated tips with 5 small teeth. Blue lettuce (Lactuca pulchella) has large, showy flower heads that measure, ¾″ across. Tall blue lettuce (Lactuca biennis) has bluish to white flowers. The achene has grayish-brown bristles attached to the tip. Woodland lettuce (Lactuca floridana var. floridana) has light blue flowers. |
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Habitat |
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Moderate moisture. Fields, meadows, thickets, woods, waste places. |
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Ecology |
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Flowering |
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July to September |
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Pests and Diseases |
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Use |
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Distribution |
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Sources |
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| 3/15/2023 | ||||
Nativity |
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Native |
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Occurrence |
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Common |
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Taxonomy |
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| Kingdom | Plantae (green algae and land plants) | ||
| Subkingdom | Viridiplantae (green plants) | ||
| Infrakingdom | Streptophyta (land plants and green algae) | ||
| Superdivision | Embryophyta (land plants) | ||
| Division | Tracheophyta (vascular plants) | ||
| Subdivision | Spermatophytina (seed plants) / Angiospermae (flowering plants) | ||
| Class | Magnoliopsida (flowering plants) | ||
| Superorder | Asteranae | ||
Order |
Asterales (sunflowers, bellflowers, fanflowers, and allies) | ||
Family |
Asteraceae (sunflowers, daisies, asters, and allies) | ||
| Subfamily | Cichorioideae (chicories, dandelions, and allies) | ||
| Tribe | Cichorieae (lettuce, chicory, dandelion, and salsify) | ||
| Subtribe | Lactucinae | ||
| Genus | Lactuca (wild lettuces) | ||
Subordinate Taxa |
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Synonyms |
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Lactuca canadensis var. integrifolia Lactuca canadensis var. latifolia Lactuca canadensis var. longifolia Lactuca canadensis var. obovata Lactuca canadensis var. typica Lactuca sagittifolia Lactuca steelei |
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Common Names |
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Canada lettuce Canada wild lettuce Canadian wild lettuce Florida blue lettuce tall lettuce tall wild lettuce wild lettuce |
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Glossary
Achene
A dry, one-chambered, single-seeded seed capsule, formed from a single carpel, with the seed attached to the membranous outer layer (wall) only by the seed stalk; the wall, formed entirely from the wall of the superior ovary, does not split open at maturity, but relies on decay or predation to release the contents.
Clasping
Describing a leaf that wholly or partly surrounds the stem but does not fuse at the base.
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Alfredo Colon |
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MinnesotaSeasons.com Photos |
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Plant |
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Inflorescence |
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Flowers |
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Leaves |
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Stem |
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Slideshows |
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Other Videos |
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| Wild Lettuce / Lactuca canadensis momentaryvitality |
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About
Published on Nov 28, 2013 No description available. |
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Visitor Sightings |
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Report a sighting of this plant. |
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| Alfredo Colon 9/3 to 9/5/2019 |
Location: Maplewood Nature Center |
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MinnesotaSeasons.com Sightings |
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