Lactuca saligna
L. Willow-leaf LettuceAnnual or biennial, 20–100 cm high; stems erect, branched. Leaves green, sometimes lower midrib spiny; basal and lower cauline leaves sessile, amplexicaul, lanceolate in outline, 8–20 cm long, 0.5–5 cm wide, usually pinnatisect with few narrow retrorse lobes, or runcinate, rarely entire; upper cauline leaves sessile, linear, mostly entire, becoming bract-like at inflorescences. Capitula pedunculate, 1–3 in axils of reduced leaves; involucre 7–10 mm long (to 15 mm long in fruit); inner longer, erect in fruit, mostly green. Florets slightly exceeding involucre, pale yellow; ligule 4–5 mm long. Cypselas elliptic, 5–9 mm long (including 2–5 mm beak) minutely bristly above, grey-brown; pappus c. 5 mm long. Flowers Oct.–May.
LoM, MuM, Wim, VVP, VRiv, MSB, RobP, MuF, GipP, OtP, WaP, Gold, CVU, DunT, NIS, HSF, HNF, VAlp. Also naturalised WA, SA, Qld, NSW, ACT, Tas. Native to Europe and western Asia. Locally common in western and north-central Victoria, scattered elsewhere, largely co-extensive with L. serriola.
Jeanes, J.A. (1999). Asteraceae. In: Walsh, N.G.; Entwisle, T.J., Flora of Victoria Vol. 4, Cornaceae to Asteraceae, pp. 652–666. Inkata Press, Melbourne.
Spinning
