Lactuca schweinfurthii Oliv. & Hiern

Compositae, C. D. Adams. Flora of West Tropical Africa 2. 1963

Morphology General Habit

A perennial herb erect hispid-setulose stems up to about 6 ft. high

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescence spreading with numerous flower-heads about 1/2 in. long

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets

Florets mauve or yellow.

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

Morphology General Habit

An erect perennial herb to c. 2.4 m. tall, from a semi-woody taproot.

Morphology Stem

Stems solitary simple striately ribbed, glaucous often purple-tinged below, sparsely glandular-setose; setae up to c. 3 mm. long, patent, usually dark-purple.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves cauline, somewhat crowded below; the lowermost up to c. 20 x 4.5 cm., lanceolate to narrowly elliptic undivided, acute, ± shallowly sinuate-dentate and irregularly denticulate on the margins, attenuate to rounded and shortly petiole-like at the base, glabrous or setose on the midrib and nerves beneath; upper leaves decreasing in size towards the stem apex becoming lanceolate sessile amplexicaul and sparsely setulose or glabrescent.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Synflorescence

Synflorescence an elongate terminal panicle; branches up to c. 15 cm. long, slender, patent-ascending, sparsely setulose or glabrescent, bracteate.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Capitulum

Capitula stalked, ± aggregated in loose clusters; involucres 6–8 x 1.5–2 mm. at time of flowering, increasing to c. 10 x 4 mm. in fruiting capitula, cylindric to narrowly campanulate, glaucous, often purple-tinged.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Phyllaries

Phyllaries 2–3-seriate, increasing in length towards the inside, ciliolate-pubescent above and often subapically corniculate; the outermost ovate, the innermost up to 10 mm. long, narrowly lanceolate, obtuse.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets

Florets c. 5 per capitulum.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corollas 8–10 mm. long, yellow; tubes slender, glabrous; ligule erect, c. 5.5 mm. long, narrowly obovate-lorate, lobes up to 1 mm. long, minutely papillose above.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Achenes dark-brown to black, hardly or very shortly beaked, c. 4.5 x 2 mm., broadly ellipsoidal, strongly flattened, margins thickened, narrowly 1-ribbed or occasionally 2-ribbed on each face, minutely hispidulous; pappus several-seriate of white barbellate setae c. 5.5 mm. long.