About Lactuca tatarica (L.) C.A.Mey.
Lactuca tatarica, commonly called blue lettuce, is a Eurasian flowering plant that belongs to the tribe Cichorieae of the family Asteraceae. It grows widely across large areas of Europe and Asia. This species is an herb that can reach up to 60 cm (2 feet) in height, and it has a large taproot. Most of its leaves grow clustered near the base of the plant, and these basal leaves are larger than the leaves found higher up on the stem. Each flower head holds approximately 20 ray flowers, which are blue or purple, and rarely white; there are no disc flowers in the heads. Some taxonomic authors have classified the North American species Lactuca pulchella as a subspecies or variety of a more broadly defined Lactuca tatarica. Other authors maintain that Lactuca tatarica is only found naturally in Europe and Asia. Lactuca tatarica, along with Lactuca pulchella and other related species, is often placed into the separate genus Mulgedium under the name Mulgedium tatarica.
