Lactuca sp.
Lettuce, Lettuce
(c) Марина Садыкова, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Марина Садыкова · licence
Family: Asteraceae · Type: Perennial · Variable; species dependent
Lactuca sp. (Lettuce) is a non-native California perennial in the Asteraceae family.
How to tell it apart
vs Sonchus: Look at seeds - Lactuca seeds have a distinct beak/neck, Sonchus bristles attach directly to seed.; vs Taraxacum: Taraxacum has all basal leaves on leafless stalks, Lactuca has leafy branching stems.; vs Helminthotheca: Helminthotheca has spiny-bristly outer phyllaries and yellow-orange flowers, Lactuca has smooth phyllaries.; vs Brassica: Brassica has 4-petaled cruciform flowers and long seed pods, not composite heads with bristly seeds.; vs Stephanomeria: Stephanomeria has only 3-9 flowers per small head, Lactuca has many more flowers per head.
Frequently asked questions
Is Lactuca sp. native to California?
No. Lactuca sp. is not native to California (recorded as variable; species dependent).
What plant family does Lactuca sp. belong to?
Lactuca sp. is in the Asteraceae family, genus Lactuca.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-04-14
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.