The scientific name of the genus comes from the Latin word lac ("milk"), which is associated with the milky juice contained in the plant, which is released when the stems and leaves are damaged.
Lactuca virosa .
Botanical illustration from the book
Köhler's Medizinal-Pflanzen , 1887
Species of the genus are very diverse and are represented by various life forms, such as annual, biennial, and perennial herbaceous plants , or shrubs [3] .
Distributed throughout the world, but mainly in temperate regions of Eurasia . Most xerophytes of wild species are adapted for dry places, but there are species that prefer more humid regions, for example, living in the mountains of central Africa .
Compass face.
Botanical illustration by Jacob Sturm from
Deutschlands Flora in Abbildungen , 1796
According to The Plant List , the genus includes 147 species [4] :
Some species:
- Lactuca perennis L. - Perennial Lettuce
- Lactuca quercina L. - Double-faced [ syn. Lactuca chaixii Vill. ] [ syn. Lactuca stricta waldst. & Kit. ] - contains milky juice which hardens in air ( lactucarium )
- Lactuca sativa ( L. ) typus [2] - Sowing campaign
- Lactuca serriola L. - Compass , or Wild lettuce - a biennial or annual weed plant with yellow flowers and almost vertical leaves, oriented from north to south in clear weather
- Lactuca tatarica (L.) CAMey. - Tartar latuk , or Tatar Molokan - a weed plant
- Lactuca virosa L. - Lettuce poisonous
The most well-known representative is the popular cabbage-lettuce vegetable ( Lactuca sativa ), which is known in its culture for many varieties cultivated on a commercial scale and widely sold throughout the world. Other species are common weeds [3] .
Compass leaf ( Lactuca serriola ) is a compass plant [5] .
