Indian lettuce

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Indian lettuce

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Lactuca dracoglossa
• Lactuca indica var. laciniata
• Lactuca indica var. indivisa
• Pterocypsela indica var. dracoglossa
• Scariola brevirostris
• Brachyramphus taraxacoides
• Chondrilla indica
• Prenanthes squarrosa
• Pterocypsela indica
• Pterocypsela indica var. laciniata
• Pterocypsela indivisa
• Pterocypsela laciniata
• Sonchus calyculatus
• Prenanthes indica
• Prenanthes laciniata
• Lactuca kouyangensis
• Lactuca laciniata f. indivisa
• Lactuca mauritiana
• Lactuca squarrosa
• Lactuca jamaicensis
• Chondrilla squarrosa
• Lactuca amurensis
• Lactuca bialata
• Lactuca brevirostris
• Lactuca cavaleriei
• Lactuca hoatiensis
• Lactuca squarrosa f. indivisa
• Lactuca indica f. indivisa
• Lactuca raddeana var. compacta
• Brachyramphus heyneanus
• Brachyramphus sinicus

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and is classified under the phylum Streptophyta and the class Equisetopsida. Within the subclass Magnoliidae, it is further organized into the order Asterales and the family Asteraceae. Finally, it is identified by its specific genus, Lactuca.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a wide geographical distribution across several distinct regions. In West-Central Tropical Africa, it can be found within the Central African Republic. Its presence extends to Southern Africa, specifically in the KwaZulu-Natal region. Furthermore, the species is widely distributed throughout the Western Indian Ocean. This includes notable populations located in Comoros, Mauritius, and Madagascar.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Lactuca indica is characterized by its remarkable adaptability to diverse environmental conditions and varied landscapes. It thrives in a wide array of habitats, ranging from managed agricultural environments like crop fields to more natural settings such as forests, meadows, old fields, shrubberies, and even coastal shores. This versatility is reflected in its broad altitudinal distribution; the species can be found at sea level, with a minimum elevation of 0 m AMSL, and extends up to a maximum elevation of 2000 m AMSL. Across its range, the plant maintains an average elevation of approximately 1150 m AMSL, demonstrating its ability to colonize both lowland plains and significant montane regions.

Elevational range max:

2000 m AMSL

Elevational range mean:

1150 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

0 m AMSL

Habitat :

crop fields, forest, meadows, old fields, shores, shrubberies

Life history

The life history of Lactuca indica is characterized by a biennial lifecycle, meaning it typically completes its biological processes over a period of two years, often spending the first year in a vegetative state before transitioning to reproductive growth. In terms of its morphological structure and survival strategy, the plant functions as a therophyte, completing its entire life cycle from germination to seed production within a single growing season or through its biennial progression, ultimately dying after the dispersal of its seeds.

Life form :

therophyte

Lifecycle :

biennial

Morphology

The morphology of Lactuca indica is characterized by its growth form as a non-woody herb, functioning as a self-supporting plant rather than a climber or liana. It is an independent organism that does not exhibit parasitic behavior and is strictly terrestrial in its habitat, rather than aquatic or epiphytic. In terms of stature, the plant displays significant variability in height, with individual specimens ranging from a minimum of 0.6 m to a maximum of 4 m, resulting in an average plant height of approximately 1.13 m.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

4 m

Plant height mean:

1.13333333333333 m

Plant height min:

0.6 m

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiology of Lactuca indica is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, which dictates its carbon fixation processes and metabolic efficiency. The plant's vegetative structure is defined by its leaf morphology, where leaf lengths typically range from a minimum of 14 cm to a mean of 19.75 cm, reaching a maximum of 30 cm. Correspondingly, the leaf width exhibits variability, with a minimum width of 4.5 cm, a mean width of 6.625 cm, and a maximum width of 8 cm. Furthermore, the species does not function as a nitrogen fixer, meaning it relies on the uptake of available nitrogen from the soil rather than through symbiotic biological nitrogen fixation.

Leaf length max:

30 cm

Leaf length mean:

19.75 cm

Leaf length min:

14 cm

Leaf width max:

8 cm

Leaf width mean:

6.625 cm

Leaf width min:

4.5 cm

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Reproduction

The reproduction of Lactuca indica is characterized by a distinct flowering period that typically begins in June and concludes in September. This reproductive cycle relies on biotic pollination syndromes, specifically utilizing insects to facilitate fertilization. The resulting fruits are small and slender, exhibiting a mean length of 0.45 cm (ranging from a minimum of 0.3 cm to a maximum of 0.5 cm) and a mean width of 0.1875 cm (varying between a minimum of 0.15 cm and a maximum of 0.2 cm). The seeds produced from these fruits are remarkably lightweight and consistent in size, with a stable seed mass of 0.00085 g across its minimum, mean, and maximum measurements.

Flowering time :

Jun

Flowering time :

Sep

Fruit length max:

0.5 cm

Fruit length mean:

0.45 cm

Fruit length min:

0.3 cm

Fruit width max:

0.2 cm

Fruit width mean:

0.1875 cm

Fruit width min:

0.15 cm

Pollination syndrome :

insect

Pollination syndrome :

biotic

Seed mass mean:

0.00085 g

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Lactuca indica has 5 reported plant parts identified across 9 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include flower, leaf, root, stem, seed.

Flower

1. Food chemistry: X
2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Leaf

1. Food chemistry: X
2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Root

1. Food chemistry: X
2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Stem

1. Food chemistry: X
2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Seed

1. Food chemistry: X

Chemicals

Lactuca indica has 18 reported phytochemicals identified across 9 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include RUTIN, CHLOROGENIC ACID, Flavonoids, apigenin, luteolin.

RUTIN

1. Journal of natural products
2. Food chemistry: X
3. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

CHLOROGENIC ACID

1. Journal of natural products
2. Food chemistry: X

Flavonoids

1. Bioorganic & medicinal chemistry letters
2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

apigenin

1. Journal of natural products
2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

luteolin

1. Journal of natural products
2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

quercetin

1. Journal of natural products
2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

11beta,13-Dihydrolactucin

1. Journal of natural products

Chicoric acid

1. Food chemistry: X

Cichoric Acid

1. Food chemistry: X

Lactucain A

1. Journal of natural products

Activities

Lactuca indica has 1 reported activities identified across 9 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antidiabetic.

Antidiabetic

1. Journal of natural products

Medicinal Uses

Lactuca indica has 2 reported medicinal uses identified across 9 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include Antidiabetic, hepatitis B virus.

Most Reported Uses