JO. [ *68 ]
L A C T U C A Scariola.
Prickly Lettuce.
S T N G E N E S I A Polygamia-aqualis.
G en. C har. Recept. naked. Cal. imbricated, cylindrical,
with a membranous margin. Down Ample,
on afoot-ftalk.
Spec. C har. Leaves perpendicular; their mid-rib
prickly on the back.
S yn. Ladtuca Scariola. Linn. Sp. PI. 1119. Hudf.
FI. An. 338. With. Bot. Arr. 834. Relh. Cant.
*93-
L . fylveftris cofta fpinofa. Raii Syn. 161.
G ATHERED wild by the Rev. Mr. Hemlled near Denny
Abbey between Cambridge and Ely. It grows among rubbifh
and on wafte ground in other parts of that country, but rarely
clfewhere, flowering in Auguft.
Root biennial, very full of milky juice, as is every part of the
plant. Stem erect, 2 or 3 feet high, round, prickly, leafy,
branched at the top into a fort of panicle, conlifting of numerous
pale-yellow flowers. Leaves embracing the Item,
toothed and prickly in the margin, their main rib fet with numerous
parallel fpines along the back; the lowermoft deeply
lobed and finuated ; thofe on the ftem turned perpendicularly,
and not horizontal as in moft plants. Calyx fmooth. Flowers
fmall. Seed furrowed lengthwife.
This fpecies, though bitter, acrid and foetid in fome degree,
is much milder than the more common Wild Lettuce
(LaBuca virofa), and may eafily be diftinguifhed from that by
its paler colour altogether, its lefs fpreading flower-branches,
and its vertical leaves.
Dr. Stokes has exceedingly well obferved that Hudfon’s
variety & belongs to L. virofa.