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Project Noah Nature School
Lactuca sativa
Spotted on Jul 24, 2011
Submitted on Jul 24, 2011
1 Comment
Project Noah Fact of the Day: Lettuce was first cultivated by the Egyptians who used the seeds of the weed as a source for oil, but then cultivated the plant for its leaves. It spread to the Greeks and Romans who gave it the name "lactuca" from which the English name lettuce is derived. 50 A.D. saw the description of many different varieties and during the 16th to 18th centuries, many of the varieties we use today had been developed and cultivated. It might surprise you to find out that lettuce is a member of the Asteraceae family, often referred to as the aster, daisy, or sunflower family.
Lettuce spotted in Sicilia, Italy by PN member Tupa.
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