Flower ID: IMG_3067.JPG-07-25-2022 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 (1.0 to 1.5 cm) Petal count: 12 to 20 ray florets and no disc florets Color: pale 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: 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, waste areas, roadsides, fields, prairies, streambanks, pond margins, semi shade to sun. Fruit: Seed: Importance to wildlife: Similar species (if any): Ethnobotany: No recorded uses by tribes from Wisconsin. The Navajo used the plant as a ceremonial emetic (Moerman, p. 294, 1998). Latitude: 44.801207 Longitude: -91.510630 Altitude: 256.10 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) Click here for distribution map In Canada: (AB, BC, MB, NB, NS, ON, PE, QC, SK) Click here for distribution map References: Synonym(s): Basionym: na Homotypic Synonym(s): Heterotypic Synonym(s): Autonym: na Wetland Status (NC): FACU Wetland Status (MW): FACU