Lactuca muralis
Encyclopedia
Lactuca muralis or Mycelis muralis (L.) Dumort. is a perennial flowering plant
of the genus Lactuca
in the family Asteraceae
, subfamily Cichorioideae
, tribe Cichorieae
.
Its chief characteristic is an open airy clumps of yellow flowers. Each "flower" is actually a composite flower, consisting of five petal-like flowers (strap or ray flowers), each approximately 5–7 mm in length. Lactuca Muralis grows about 2–4 feet tall with the lower leaves pinnately toothed and clasping.
It is a native of Europe but has invaded shady roadsides, paths and logged areas of the Pacific Northwest.
It can be found in woodlands, especially Beech
. It is also found in calcerous soils, and walls.
The lower leaves are lyre shaped, pinnate shaped. The lobes are triangular in shape. The upper leaves are stalkless, smaller and less lobed. All leaves are red tinged.
The achenes are short beaked, spindle shaped and black. The pappus
has simple white hairs, the inner longer than the outer.
The flower heads are yellow, small, 1 cm wide more or less, on branches 90 degrees to the main stem. It flowers from June until September.. It has 5 yellow ray florets..
Flowering plant
The flowering plants , also known as Angiospermae or Magnoliophyta, are the most diverse group of land plants. Angiosperms are seed-producing plants like the gymnosperms and can be distinguished from the gymnosperms by a series of synapomorphies...
of the genus Lactuca
Lactuca
Lactuca, commonly known as lettuce, is a genus of flowering plants in the daisy family Asteraceae. The genus includes about 100 species, distributed worldwide, but mainly in temperate Eurasia....
in the family Asteraceae
Asteraceae
The Asteraceae or Compositae , is an exceedingly large and widespread family of vascular plants. The group has more than 22,750 currently accepted species, spread across 1620 genera and 12 subfamilies...
, subfamily Cichorioideae
Cichorioideae
Cichorioideae is a subfamily of the family Asteraceae of flowering plants. Familiar members of Cichorioideae include lettuce, dandelions and Gazanias. The subfamily comprises about 240 genera and about 2900 species...
, tribe Cichorieae
Cichorieae
Cichorieae is a tribe of plants in the family Asteraceae that includes 100 genera and more than 1,600 species. They are found primarily in temperate regions of the Eastern Hemisphere....
.
Its chief characteristic is an open airy clumps of yellow flowers. Each "flower" is actually a composite flower, consisting of five petal-like flowers (strap or ray flowers), each approximately 5–7 mm in length. Lactuca Muralis grows about 2–4 feet tall with the lower leaves pinnately toothed and clasping.
It is a native of Europe but has invaded shady roadsides, paths and logged areas of the Pacific Northwest.
It can be found in woodlands, especially Beech
Beech
Beech is a genus of ten species of deciduous trees in the family Fagaceae, native to temperate Europe, Asia and North America.-Habit:...
. It is also found in calcerous soils, and walls.
Description
It grows from 25 to 150 cm tall, is slender and hairless. It often has purplish stems, and exudes a milky juice.The lower leaves are lyre shaped, pinnate shaped. The lobes are triangular in shape. The upper leaves are stalkless, smaller and less lobed. All leaves are red tinged.
The achenes are short beaked, spindle shaped and black. The pappus
Pappus (flower structure)
The pappus is the modified calyx, the part of an individual disk, ray or ligule floret surrounding the base of the corolla, in flower heads of the plant family Asteraceae. The pappus may be composed of bristles , awns, scales, or may be absent. In some species, the pappus is too small to see...
has simple white hairs, the inner longer than the outer.
The flower heads are yellow, small, 1 cm wide more or less, on branches 90 degrees to the main stem. It flowers from June until September.. It has 5 yellow ray florets..