Lactuca zambeziaca C.Jeffrey

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

Morphology General Habit

An erect perennial herb, often viscid, up to c. 150(200) cm. tall; taproot semi-woody turbinate.

Morphology Stem

Stems solitary, branching above, glabrous, green and often purple-tinged.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves contemporaneous with flowers, ± membranous, glabrous, 18–32 x 0.25–1.5 cm., narrowly elliptic to linear-lanceolate, usually with 2–4 well developed lobes in the lower half, ± attenuate and acute at the apex, narrowly attenuate below and usually semi-amplexicaul at the base, subentire; terminal lobe 12–23 cm. long, elliptic-linear; lateral lobes 0.5–6 cm. long, very narrowly triangular.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Synflorescence

Synflorescences paniculate, up to c. 40 x 15 cm., cylindrical; branches divaricate slender glabrous.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Capitulum

Capitula numerous, stalked; stalks 1.5–12 mm. long; involucres 8–9 x 1.5–2 mm. at time of flowering, increasing to c. 12 x 2.5 mm. in fruiting capitula, cylindric.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Phyllaries

Phyllaries ciliolate above otherwise glabrous, guttulate, green and often purple-tinged where exposed; the outermost less than half the length of the inner, broadly ovate; the innermost 9–11 x 1–2 mm., linear-lanceolate, margins becoming involute except near the apices.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets

Florets c. 5 per capitulum; corollas yellow, up to c. 12 mm. long, tube narrowly cylindric, sparsely pilose near the throat; ligule c. 6 mm. long, erect.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Achenes dark-brown to black, 5–6.5 x 1.5–2 mm. including a 1–1.5 mm. long paler-coloured beak, compressed-ellipsoid, broadly thickened at the margins, narrowly 1-ribbed on each face, hispidulous or glabrous; pappus several-seriate, of white barbellate setae c. 6 mm. long.