Prickly lettuce
Prickly Lettuce (Lactuca serriola), also known as wild lettuce or compass plant, is a species of Lactuca native to Europe, Asia, and North Africa. It has naturalized in other parts of the world, including North America, Australia, and New Zealand.
Description[edit | edit source]
Prickly lettuce is an annual or biennial plant, growing up to 2 meters tall. The leaves are oblong and have prickly edges, hence the common name. The plant produces yellow flowers in the summer, which turn into white, fluffy seeds that are dispersed by the wind.
Distribution and Habitat[edit | edit source]
Prickly lettuce is native to Europe, Asia, and North Africa, but it has become naturalized in many other parts of the world. It is often found in disturbed areas, such as roadsides, fields, and waste places.
Uses[edit | edit source]
Prickly lettuce has been used in traditional medicine for its sedative and analgesic properties. The plant contains a milky sap that is rich in lactucarium, a substance that has similar effects to opium but is less potent and non-addictive.
Cultivation[edit | edit source]
Prickly lettuce is a hardy plant that can grow in a variety of conditions. It prefers full sun and well-drained soil, but it can tolerate partial shade and poor soil conditions.
Invasive Species[edit | edit source]
In some areas, prickly lettuce is considered an invasive species due to its ability to spread rapidly and outcompete native plants.
See Also[edit | edit source]
This flora-related article is a stub. You can help WikiMD by expanding it.
This invasive species related article is a stub. You can help WikiMD by expanding it.
Navigation: Wellness - Encyclopedia - Health topics - Disease Index - Drugs - World Directory - Gray's Anatomy - Keto diet - Recipes
Search WikiMD
Ad.Tired of being Overweight? Try W8MD's physician weight loss program.
Semaglutide (Ozempic / Wegovy and Tirzepatide (Mounjaro / Zepbound) available.
Advertise on WikiMD
WikiMD is not a substitute for professional medical advice. See full disclaimer.
Credits:Most images are courtesy of Wikimedia commons, and templates Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY SA or similar.
Translate this page: - East Asian
中文,
日本,
한국어,
South Asian
हिन्दी,
தமிழ்,
తెలుగు,
Urdu,
ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian
Indonesian,
Vietnamese,
Thai,
မြန်မာဘာသာ,
বাংলা
European
español,
Deutsch,
français,
Greek,
português do Brasil,
polski,
română,
русский,
Nederlands,
norsk,
svenska,
suomi,
Italian
Middle Eastern & African
عربى,
Turkish,
Persian,
Hebrew,
Afrikaans,
isiZulu,
Kiswahili,
Other
Bulgarian,
Hungarian,
Czech,
Swedish,
മലയാളം,
मराठी,
ਪੰਜਾਬੀ,
ગુજરાતી,
Portuguese,
Ukrainian
Contributors: Prab R. Tumpati, MD