Common Name: prickly lettuce, compass weed, compass plant
Scientific Name: Lactuca serriola L., syn, Lactuca scariola
Family Name: Asteraceae (Compositae) - Aster or Sunflower Family

Identification Notes:

life cycle - annual, winter annual or biennial, reproducing by seed

stems - upright, tall, usually prickly near ground, leafy, hollow growth habit 1, growth habit 2, growth habit 3, young plants 1, young plants 2

leaves - alternate, oblong to oblanceolate, deeply lobed, lobes tip pointed backwards (sometimes unlobed), usually linear above, margins toothed or prickly, stem leaves clasping with bases pointed, blueish-green, midrib below with yellow prickles leaf vein prickles, leaves

flowers - heads of yellow ray (ligulate) florets; terminal clusters flower heads 1, flower heads 2

other - contains milky sap milky sap 1, milky sap 2

Images:

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