|
May 26, 2010
|
Southeastern, New Hampshire
|
Along the
side of a street with a significant amount of plant growth and not much car travel,
there were numerous wild lettuce plants. In this case it was Canada Lettuce
(Lactuca canadensis). There are a couple of other Lactuca species in
New Hampshire that looks similar: Hairy Lettuce (Lactuca hirsuta) and Prickly
Lettuce (Lactuca serriola). Hairy lettuce has hairs on the stem and leaves and
Prickly Lettuce has prickles on the leaf margin and midrib of the lower surfaces (the
upper surface is smooth). Also, the leaves of Prickly Lettuce have shorter lobes. While
you can't see it in the pictures, the broken stem exudes a beige-colored sap (not the
same white-colored sap seen for dandelion).
|
|
