Lactuca viminea

Lactuca viminea
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Embryophytes
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Spermatophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Asterids
Order:	Asterales
Family:	Asteraceae
Genus:	Lactuca
Species:	L. viminea
Binomial name
Lactuca viminea (L.) J.Presl & C.Presl 1819 not C.B.Clarke 1876
Synonyms12
Synonymy Prenanthes viminea L., 1753 Scariola viminea (L.) F.W.Schmidt Scariola tetrantha (B.L.Burtt & P.H.Davis) Soják Lactuca chondrilliflora subsp. contracta (Velen.) Nyman Lactuca contracta Velen. Lactuca numidica Batt. Scariola contracta (Velen.) Soják

Lactuca viminea, the pliant lettuce, is a Eurasian plant species in the tribe Cichorieae within the family Asteraceae. It is widespread across much of Europe and southwestern Asia from Portugal to Pakistan.²¹

Lactuca viminea is a branching subshrub up to 30 cm tall. Leaves near the base are pinnately lobed, but the leaves on the stem are narrow and linear, not lobed, becoming smaller higher up the plant. The uppermost leaves are pressed against the stem and almost scale-like. Flower heads have 4–5 yellow ray flowers, but no disc flowers.²

Subspecies²

• Lactuca viminea subsp. chondrilliflora (Boreau) St.-Lag.
• Lactuca viminea subsp. ramosissima (All.) Arcang.
• Lactuca viminea subsp. viminea