Prickly Lettuce

Prickly Lettuce
Lactuca serriola L.
Synonym: Lactuca scariola
Family: Asteraceae, Aster or Composite
Genus: Lactuca ...

Prickly lettuce (Lactuca serriola) is thought to pose a potential threat to one or more vegetation formations in Victoria, and is listed as an common invasive weed in several vegetation types in the north-western parts of this state (i.e.

Similar Species: Prickly Lettuce (Lactuca serriola L.) which is found throughout most of the U. S. and is common in the southeast, was introduced from Europe and is very similar but has spines on the leaves.

scariola, or Prickly Lettuce, L. altissima, L. Canadensis, or Wild Lettuce of America, and L. sativa, or Garden Lettuce.

China Lettuce, Compass Plant, Horse Thistle, Lettuce, Milk Thistle, Prickly Lettuce, Wild Lettuce
Common Names in Finnish:
Piikkisalaatti ...

The European prickly lettuce (Lactuca serriola) contains considerably more of the milky, narcotic juice and has several medicinal and herbal uses. The sap is sometimes dried and used to adulterate opium.

Mayweed, Pink Oxalis, Pink Purslane, Pink Water Speedwell, Pipewort, Pirri-pirri Bur, Pirri-pirri Bur, Pittosporum, Plicate Sweet-grass, Ploughman's Spikenard, Plymouth Pear, Pond Water Crowfoot, Portland Spurge, Prickly Heath, Prickly Lettuce, ...

prickly lettuce Lactuca serriola
prickly Russian thistle Salsola tragus
primrose willow; kamole Ludwigia octovalvis
princess tree; empress tree Paulownia tomentosa
princess-flower Tibouchina urvilleana ...

See also: Green, Lettuce, Medic, May, Cabbage