Lactuca dentata - Lactuca dentata

Japanese: ニガナ(苦菜) - ニガナ（英語表記）Lactuca dentata

A perennial herb of the Asteraceae family. It is widely distributed in the temperate and subtropical regions of East Asia, and is most commonly found in mountainous and hilly areas. The stem is erect and about 30 cm tall, with no runners. The basal leaves are irregularly pinnate, and the stem leaves are smaller, with ear-like bases that encase the stem. When damaged, both the stem and the leaves exude a white milky liquid that has a bitter taste. In early summer, the upper part of the stem branches, and at the end of each branch, yellow flower heads are borne in a cyme. Each flower head consists of only a few ray flowers. The fruit is a small, elongated oval-shaped achene with a pale brown pappus at the top. This species is highly variable and divided into many subspecies and varieties. Subspecies include Isonigana, which grows on rocky cliffs on the coast, and varieties include Shirobana Nigana, which has white flower heads, Takane Nigana (Takane Nigana) and Kumomanigana, which grow in high mountains.

Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica Concise Encyclopedia About Encyclopaedia Britannica Concise Encyclopedia Information

Japanese:

キク科の多年草。東アジアの温帯から亜熱帯に広く分布し，山地や丘陵に最も普通にみられる。茎は直立し高さ 30cmほどになり走出枝は出さない。根生葉は不整に羽裂し，茎葉はより小型で，基部は耳状になって茎を抱く。茎，葉ともに傷をつけると白い乳液を出し苦みがある。初夏に茎の上部が分枝して，各枝先に黄色の頭花を集散花序状につける。それぞれの頭花は数個の舌状花だけから成る。果実は小型の細長い楕円形の痩果で，上端に淡褐色の冠毛をもつ。本種は非常に変異に富み多くの亜種や変種に分けられている。亜種には海岸の岩壁に生えるイソニガナがあり，変種には白色の頭花をつけるシロバナニガナや高山に生えるタカネニガナ (高嶺苦菜)，クモマニガナなどがある。

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