Achicoria azul
Launaea intybacea (Jacq.) Beauverd
Launaea intybacea is a polymorphic annual plant in the Asteraceae family, commonly known as Achicoria azul. It is distributed across regions such as Mozambique, Texas, Venezuela, Kenya, and others. The plant features a slender taproot and can grow between 15-150 cm tall. It is often referred to as wild lettuce or bitter lettuce, though these names are shared with other species.
Description
This species exhibits a range of morphological variation, with an erect or branched stem and a basal leaf rosette. Basal leaves are obovate to spathulate, with varying degrees of division. Cauline leaves are smaller and irregularly pinnatifid. The synflorescence consists of virgate branches bearing single or clustered capitula. The involucre is cylindrical to club-shaped, and the receptacle is 1.5-2.5 mm in diameter at fruiting. The plant is described as wiry with bracts transitioning into involucral bracts. It was first described in 1910.
Other common names
Achicoria azul
Distribution
Mozambique · Texas · North-West Province · Saudi Arabia · Venezuelan Antilles · Mpumalanga · Venezuela · Dominican Republic · South Yemen · Northern Province · Eritrea · Cuba · Kenya · San Luis Potosí · North Yemen · Sri Lanka · Turks-Caicos Is. · Djibouti · Ethiopia · Peru · Curaçao · Niger · Colombia · Seychelles · Netherlands Leeward Is. · Antigua-Barbuda · Sudan · Angola · Yucatán · Puerto Rico
Synonyms
Sonchus spachiiBrachyramphus intybaceusSonchus calyculatusLactuca remotifloraLactuca heyneanaSonchus goraeensisBrachyramphus heyneanusLactuca schimperiLactuca intybaceaBrachyramphus sonchifoliusLactuca goraeensis var. glomerataLactuca caribaeaLactuca taraxacoidesLaunaea stocksianaLactuca goraeensis var. effusaLactuca goraeensis var. goraeensisLactuca nudicaulis var. majorLaunaea remotifloraPrenanthes sonchifoliaLactuca goraeensis var. glomerataPhaenixopus intybaceusLactuca runcinataLactuca pinnatifidaLactuca runcinataChondrilla indicaBrachyramphus sonchifoliusScorzonera africanaScorzonera pinnatifidaBrachyramphus taraxacoidesCicerbita intybacea
