wild lettuces

genus Lactuca

Member of lettuce, chicory, dandelion, and salsify tribe (tribe Cichorieae)
sunflower family (family Asteraceae)
dicots (class Magnoliopsida)
flowering plants (subphylum Angiospermae)

Except for historical records that I'm ignoring, there are no other wild species of this genus in the bay area.

Key features:

basal leaves present or not
distal cauline leaf shape, widely or narrowly clasping, margin toothed or bristly

bitter lettuce
Lactuca virosa

bitter lettuce
Lactuca virosa

basal rosette leaves toothed or shallowly lobed
distal cauline leaves sessile, widely clasping
proximal cauline leaves wing-petioled
fruit body dark, wing-margined [not hairy?]

prickly lettuce
Lactuca serriola

prickly lettuce
Lactuca serriola

basal leaves generally 0 at flower
cauline leaves with narrow, acute, basal lobes clasping stem
leaves oblanceolate to oblong-elliptic or obovate in outline, margins prickly-toothed, sometimes also coarsely lobed
inflorescence branches often widely spreading
fruit body light to dark brown [or pale grayish to tan], rough-hairy, unwinged

willowleaf lettuce
Lactuca saligna

willowleaf lettuce
Lactuca saligna

basal leaves generally 0 at flower
cauline leaves with narrow, acute, basal lobes clasping stem
leaves lance-linear, entire or few-lobed, lobes linear
peduncles and inflorescence branches often appressed to axis
fruit body brown, dark-mottled, rough, glabrous, unwinged

tall blue lettuce
Lactuca biennis

basal leaves generally 0 at flower
cauline leaves lanceolate to ovate or elliptic in outline, entire to deeply lobed and coarsely toothed
proximal leaves wing-petioled; distal sessile, clasping
inflorescence heads many in large, panicle-like cluster
fruit body thick, mottled, unwinged, tapered to a stout beak

all other beaks are slender and thread-like

rare

3 observed taxons / 1 unobserved taxon / 1 key

Chris’s observations: 22 (14 are research grade)

Locations:

Máyyan 'Ooyákma Coyote Ridge OSP: 3
Sibley Volcanic RP: 3
Windy Hill OSP: 3
Dr. Aurelia Reinhardt Redwood RP: 2
Monte Bello OSP: 2
Murray Ranch SP: 2
Russian Ridge OSP: 2
Golden Gate National Recreation Area
Joaquin Miller Park, Oakland
San Bruno Mountain State & County Park
San Pedro Valley CP
Sanborn CP

Months:

Jun.: 3
Jul.: 3
Aug.: 7
Sep.: 6
Oct.: 0
Nov.: 0
Dec.: 3

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Taxon info: iNaturalist – Calflora – Jepson eFlora – FNA

Bay Area species: iNaturalist – Calflora