Flower ID: IMG_4108.JPG-08-21-2022 Flower name (scientific): Lactuca serriola Linnaeus PY: 1756. Pronunciation guide: (phonetic spelling) lak-TOO-kuh (or lak-TOO-ka) ser-ee-OH-luh (or ser-ee-OH-la) Flower name (common): Prickly Lettuce Family name (common): Aster Family name (scientific): Asteraceae Scientific name origin: Genus: From the Latin lac meaning milk, referring to the milky sap. Specific epithet: Common name origin: The spines on the leaves account for the prickly component of the name. Lettuce comes from the fact that this plant is in the same genus as the common vegetable lettuce, which is Lactuca sativa. Flower description: Size: 0.3 to 0.6 inches ( 0.8 to 1.5 cm) Petal count: 12 Color: yellow Other: flower arrangement, Panicle Plant description: Size: 24 to 72 inches ( 61. to 183. cm) Stem hairy: Other: Leaf description: attachment is alternate, type is simple and lobed Size: Basal and lower cauline leaves up to 30 cm long and up to 10 cm wide. Color: Hairy: Other: Shape: leaf, oblong, sometimes obovate to lanceolate (FNA), basal and lower stem leaves narrowly oblong to ovate in outline, usually deeply pinnately lobed; middle and upper stem leaves mostly linear to lanceolate, unlobed (MB) Origin (native, introduced, invasive): Introduced Status (common, uncommon, threatened, rare): Common Bloom time (typical): July to September Cycle (annual, biennial, perennial): Annual/Biennial Habitat: Disturbed sites, roadsides, fields, forest openings, semi shade to sun. Fruit: Seed: Importance to wildlife: Similar species (if any): Ethnobotany: No recorded uses by tribes in Wisconsin. The Navajo used the plant to prepare a ceremonial emertic (Moerman, p. 294, 1998). Latitude: 44.794577 Longitude: -91.495492 Altitude: 285.50 Distribution: In Wisconsin: (Adams, Ashland, Barron, Bayfield, Brown, Calumet, Columbia, Crawford, Dane, Dodge, Dunn, Eau Claire, Fond du Lac, Forest, Grant, Green, Green Lake, Iowa, Jefferson, Juneau, Kenosha, Kewaunee, La Crosse, Lafayette, Manitowoc, Marathon, Marinette, Milwaukee, Monroe, Oconto, Oneida, Outagamie, Pierce, Polk, Portage, Racine, Richland, Rock, Rusk, Sauk, Shawano, Sheboygan, St. Croix, Trempealeau, Vernon, Walworth, Washington, Waukesha, Waupaca, Winnebago, Wood) Click here for distribution map In US: (AL, AR, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, DE, FL, GA, HI, IA, ID, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, MS, MT, NC, ND, NE, NH, NJ, NM, NV, NY, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VA, VT, WA, WI, WV, WY) In Canada: (AB, BC, MB, NB, NS, ON, PE, QC, SK) References: Synonym(s): Basionym: na Homotypic Synonym(s): Heterotypic Synonym(s): Autonym: na