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Lactuca indica L.
Family Name: | Asteraceae (Compositae) |
Synonyms: | Lactuca brevirostris, Lactuca inermis |
Common Name: | Indian Lettuce, 山莴苣 |
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Classifications and Characteristics
Plant Division | Angiosperms (Flowering Seed Plants) (Dicotyledon) |
Plant Growth Form | Shrub (Herbaceous) |
Lifespan (in Singapore) | Semi-Annual / Annual-Like |
Mode of Nutrition | Autotrophic |
Biogeography
Native Distribution | China, Taiwan and southern Japan |
Preferred Climate Zone | Sub-Tropical / Monsoonal, Temperate |
Description and Ethnobotany
Others - Plant Morphology | Native to China, Taiwan and southern Japan, where it both grows wild and is cultivated, Lactuca indica was probably introduced to Southeast Asia by Chinese immigrants. It is also relatively common in Indonesia and Malaysia.Growth Form: A herbaceous erect herb that grows up to 2 m tall when flowering.Habitat: Cultivated in the lowlands, up to an altitude of 2000 m, L. indica sometimes escapes from cultivation to grow in a variety of locations, such ravines, fields and roadsides.Stem:Mature plants produce basal erect subterranean shoots, known as tillers.Foliage: Leaves of L. indica are alternate, sessile (= without petioles) and arranged in a rosette on the young plant. Leaf shape oblong-lanceolate, but can be very variable. Flowers: Flowers are bright yellow, small and numerous on terminal inflorescences that are 50-100 cm in length. Fruits: Fruits of L. indica are flat elliptical achenes (= small, dry indehiscent fruits, each with a single compartment containing a single seed), black, shortly beaked and hard, each with a tuft of white hairs at the top.Cultivation: Fertile, well-drained soils with high organic matter content are preferred, but L. indica is able to tolerate a wide range of soils.Propagation is carried out by seed, or root cuttings (these easily develop buds).Etymology: Lactuca is derived from the Latin name “lactuca” or “lactucae”, in reference to the milky white sap produced by the plant when injured. The specific epithet, indica, is Indian in origin, used loosely for the Orient. |
Ethnobotanical Uses | Edible Plant Parts (Edible Leaves) Food (Fruit & Vegetable;Herb and Spice) [Others]: Food: L. indica is grown mainly for its leaves, which are eaten as a vegetable (raw, boiled or steamed) or used for wrapping and frying fish. Medicine: Leaves of L. indica are used as a tonic, digestive and depurative in traditional medicine. Other Uses: L. indica is used as a feed for geese in Taiwan, while the leaves may be fed to silkworms as a substitute for mulberry. |
Landscaping Features
Desirable Plant Features | Ornamental Flowers |
Plant & Rootzone Preference - Tolerance | Fertile Loamy Soils, Well-Drained Soils |
Landscape Uses | General, Flowerbed / Border |
Fauna, Pollination and Dispersal
Seed or Spore Dispersal | Abiotic |
Plant Care and Propagation
Light Preference | Full Sun |
Water Preference | Lots of Water, Moderate Water |
Foliar
Mature Foliage Colour(s) | Green |
Foliar Arrangement Along Stem | Alternate |
Foliar Shape(s) | Non-Palm Foliage (Lanceolate, Oblong) |
Foliar Apex - Tip | Acute |
Non - Foliar and Storage
Stem Type & Modification | Herbaceous |
Floral (Angiosperm)
Flower Colour(s) | Cream / Off-White, Yellow / Golden |
Fruit, Seed and Spore
Fruit Type 1 | Indehiscent Dry Fruit |
Fruit Type 2 | Achene |
Image Repository
Images |
Others
Master ID | 30536 |
Species ID | 4845 |
Flora Disclaimer | The information in this website has been compiled from reliable sources, such as reference works on medicinal plants. It is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment and NParks does not purport to provide any medical advice. Readers should always consult his/her physician before using or consuming a plant for medicinal purposes. |