Lactuca tenerrima Pourr.

Spice Flower detail In the field Seeds

Family: COMPOSITAE (ASTERACEAE)

Genus: Lactuca

Province distribution: Balearic Islands.

Distribution in the islands: Mallorca. Ibiza. Formentera.

IUCN Category: LCLeast concern

Life-forms: Chameophyte.

Habitats: Xero-acanthic shrubs of the mountanous regions, and steppe-grasslands of Ampelodesmos mauritanica. Rock crevices and cliff faces. Sunny soils.

Characteristics: A small perennial plant. The leaves (very divided) usually concentrate of the inferiour part of the plant, that develops a long stem which concentrates the capitula in the terminal part. The flowers are blue in colour and all of them are ligulated. The achenes have a beak, are well compressed and have a biserrate pappus.