Lactuca glandulifera Hook.f.

Compositae, H. Beentje, C. Jeffrey & D.J.N. Hind. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 2005

Morphology General Habit

Perennial scrambling or scandent herb, 0.3–2 m high; stems to 3 m long, distally leafy, viscid with dense glands but glabrescent, reddish when young, with abundant white latex; older stems with characteristic papery decorticating bark.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves variously lobed, 2–12 cm long, 0.8–5.5 cm wide, the very base sagittate-semi-amplexicaul, continuing as a winged pseudopetiole widening into a pair (rarely two pairs) of retrorse triangular lobes 0.2–3 cm long, the terminal lobe triangular to ovate and 1–7 cm long, margins sinuate to dentate to almost lobed, apex acute or rounded, densely glandular-setose, especially on midrib and margins, but glabrescent.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Capitulum

Capitula many, in terminal leafy panicles to 30 cm long with ± dichotomous branching; involucre 8–15 mm long, cylindrical at anthesis becoming narrowly conical in fruit; phyllaries dark green tinged with red or purple, linear or elliptic, 2–15 mm long, obtuse or rounded, sparsely setose or glabrous, with a tiny distal hair-tuft.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets

Florets 4–6(–8) per capitulum; corolla pale yellow or less often white, sometimes with purple tinge, tube cylindric, 4–6 mm long, ligule 5–9 mm long, 1.5–2.5 mm wide.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Achenes pale brown, ellipsoid and (slightly) compressed, 5.3–6 mm long including a 1–2 mm long beak, 3–6-ribbed on each side, glabrous or puberulous; pappus white, 5.5–8 mm long.

Figures

Fig. 20/11 (achene).

Habitat

Moist sites along streams, in forest margins, along roadsides, in grassland, bushland, giant heath and in cultivated land; 1200–3600 m

Distribution

K3 K4 K5 T2 T3 T4 T7 U2 U3 U4

Compositae, G. V. Pope. Flora Zambesiaca 6:1. 1992

Morphology General Habit

A creeping or scandent, somewhat viscid, short-lived perennial herb up to 1.5(3) m. high.

Morphology Stem

Stems up to 2(6) m. long, becoming leafless stramineous and often peeling-papyraceous below, ± densely leafy above with young growth tinged reddish-purple, ± densely glandular-setose or glabrescent.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves up to c. 10.5(12) x 5 cm., narrowly ovate-elliptic in outline, runcinate-pinnatipartite, usually 3-lobed, sometimes 5-lobed or simple, acicular-denticulate to subentire, ± densely glandular-setose especially on the midribs and reticulation beneath, midrib narrowly-winged and petiole-like towards the base becoming auriculate; terminal lobe up to c. 5(7) cm. long, ovate-sagittate, acuminate-mucronate rarely obtuse; lateral lobes up to c. 2.5 x 1.5 cm., recurved oblong-lanceolate, rounded to acute-mucronate, sessile or somewhat asymmetrically and abruptly narrowed at the base.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Synflorescence

Synflorescences paniculate, mostly terminal; branches dichotomous, densely glandular-setose, or glabrescent, bracteate.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Capitulum

Capitula numerous, somewhat aggregated when mature; stalks up to c. 4 cm. long, filiform, densely glandular setose to glabrescent, with 1-several bracteoles.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Involucre

Involucres up to c. 10 x 2 mm. and narrowly cylindrical at time of flowering, increasing to c. 14 x 3 mm. and becoming narrowly conical in fruiting capitula; phyllaries increasing somewhat abruptly in length towards the inside, narrowly lanceolate, obtuse-acute, glabrous or sparsely glandular setose, usually purplish outside, ± spirally twisted or with involute margins when dry.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets

Florets c. 5 per capitulum; corollas c. 12 mm. long, tube slender and minutely pilose above, ligule yellow often purplish outside, c. 6 x 1.5 mm., lorate.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Achenes pale-brown, up to c. 6 mm. long including a c. 2 mm. beak, narrowly ellipsoid and somewhat compressed, with conspicuously swollen ribs on the margins and 4–6 corky wing-like ribs on each face, glabrous or hispidulous; pappus several-seriate of equal white barbellate setae, c. 6.5 mm. long.