Western Lettuce
Lactuca ludoviciana
The photo above shows a close-up view of the dandylion like flower head of western lettuce. The flower heads tend to measure about 1 cm across and consist entirely of ray flowers. Photographed in prairie alongside Lakeside Road in Conboy Lake NWR..........August 10, 2007.
The photo above shows a close-up sideview of the narrow involucre of western lettuce. Note the tiled arrangement of the involucral bracts. Note also the subtending leafy bract where the flower head joins the stem. Photographed in prairie alongside Lakeside Road in Conboy Lake NWR..........August 10, 2007.
The photo above shows a view of the lower surface of a stem leaf of western lettuce. Note the clasping base of the leaf, marginal prickles, and long prickles along the main vein. The leaves are somewhat bluish-green and may also be somewhat lobed. Photographed in prairie alongside Lakeside Road in Conboy Lake NWR...........August 10, 2007.
The photo above shows a view of the upper surface of a stem leaf of western lettuce. Note the clasping base of the leaf and marginal prickles. Photographed in prairie alongside Lakeside Road in Conboy Lake NWR...........August 10, 2007.
Paul Slichter