Page authors: Don Knoke, David Giblin
Lactuca tatarica ssp. pulchella
blue lettuce
Specimens
Photos

Distribution: Occurring east of the Cascades crest in Washington; Alaska to California, east to the Great Plains, Great Lakes region, and northeastern North America.

Habitat: Meadows, thickets, and other moist places at low to middle elevations.

Flowers: June-September

Origin: Native

Growth Duration: Perennial

Conservation Status: Not of concern

Pollination: Bees, flies, beetles, wasps

Description:
General:

Glabrous perennial with milky juice from a deep-seated, creeping root, the stem 2-10 dm. high.

Leaves:

Leaves alternate, elongate, 5-18 cm. long and 6-35 mm. wide, entire, or the lower ones lobed, occasionally sharply denticulate, often glaucous beneath.

Flowers:

Inflorescence an open panicle, with several or numerous heads, these 18- to 50-flowered; corollas blue, all ligulate; involucre cylindric, 15-20 mm. high; pappus of numerous capillary bristles.

Fruits:

Inflorescence an open panicle, with several or numerous heads, these 18- to 50-flowered; corollas blue, all ligulate; involucre cylindric, 15-20 mm. high; pappus of numerous capillary bristles.

Accepted Name:
Lactuca tatarica (L.) C.A. Mey. ssp. pulchella (Pursh) Stebbins
Publication: MadroƱo 5: 123. 1939.

Synonyms & Misapplications:
Lactuca pulchella (Pursh) DC. [HC]
Lactuca tatarica (L.) C.A. Mey. var. pulchella (Pursh) Breitung
Mulgedium oblongifolium (Nutt.) Reveal
Mulgedium pulchellum (Pursh) G. Don [FNA19]
Additional Resources:

PNW Herbaria: Specimen records of Lactuca tatarica ssp. pulchella in the Consortium of Pacific Northwest Herbaria database

WA Flora Checklist: Lactuca tatarica ssp. pulchella checklist entry

OregonFlora: Lactuca tatarica ssp. pulchella information

E-Flora BC: Lactuca tatarica ssp. pulchella atlas page

CalPhotos: Lactuca tatarica ssp. pulchella photos

33 photographs:
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