{{Short description|Species of lettuce}} {{Use dmy dates|date=February 2026}} {{Speciesbox |image = Akinonogeshi.JPG |image_caption = A typical flower |genus = Lactuca |species = indica |authority = L. Mant. Pl. 2: 278. 1771. |synonyms = *''Brachyramphus sinicus'' Miq. *''Chondrilla squarrosa'' <small>(Thunb.) Poir.</small> *''Lactuca amurensis'' <small>Regel & Maxim.</small> *''Lactuca amurensis'' <small>Regel</small> *''Lactuca bialata'' <small>Griff.</small> *''Lactuca brevirostris'' <small>Champ.</small> *''Lactuca brevirostris'' <small>Champ. ex Benth.</small> *''Lactuca cavaleriei'' <small>H.Lév.</small> *''Lactuca dracoglossa'' <small>Makino</small> *''Lactuca hoatiensis'' <small>H.Lév. & Vaniot</small> *''Lactuca kouyangensis'' <small>H.Lév.</small> *''Lactuca laciniata'' <small>(Houtt.) Makino</small> *''Lactuca mauritiana'' <small>Poir.</small> *''Lactuca squarrosa'' (<small>Thunb.) Miq.</small> *''Lactuca squarrosa'' <small>(Thunb.) Maxim.</small> *''Leontodon acutissimus'' <small>Noronha</small> *''Prenanthes laciniata'' <small>Houtt.</small> *''Prenanthes squarrosa'' <small>Thunb.</small> *''Pterocypsela indica'' <small>(L.) C.Shih</small> *''Pterocypsela indivisa'' (<small>Makino) H.S.Pak</small> *''Pterocypsela laciniata'' <small>(Houtt.) C.Shih</small> | synonyms_ref= <ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.theplantlist.org/tpl1.1/record/gcc-13786 |title=''Lactuca indica'' L. |publisher=The Plant List }}</ref> }}
'''''Lactuca indica''''', '''Indian lettuce''', is a species of plant in the tribe Cichorieae within the family Asteraceae. It is native to western China (Xinjiang, Tibet), the Himalayas, and southwest Asia, as far west as Turkey. It is widely introduced elsewhere, even as far as east Africa, and is thought to be an archaeophyte in Japan, brought in with rice cultivation.
''Lactuca indica'' is a biennial herb, growing from a taproot to at least 40{{nbsp}}cm tall and often reaching 2{{nbsp}}m. Its flowers have white to pale yellow ray florets with yellower centers. The narrowness of the leaf blades and the degree of spikiness of leaf lobes varies greatly by region. [[File:Lactuca indica 3.JPG|thumb|left|Lower leaves senescing during flowering, a trait typical to this species]]
It is cultivated (or rather, its growth is encouraged) as fodder for rabbits, pigs, poultry and even fish in Asia.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=王 |first1=和平 |date=February 1990 |title=优质高产的青绿饲料作物—苦荬菜 |url=http://www.cnki.com.cn/Article/CJFDTotal-NXNL199002023.htm |journal=宁夏农林科技 }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |title=Transhumant Grazing Systems in Temperate Asia |year=2003 |publisher=Food and Agriculture Organization |page=103 |isbn=9789251049778 }}</ref> Its young leaves can be, and are, consumed as a leaf vegetable in salads like other dandelions.<ref>{{cite book |date=9 May 2011 |title=Cultivated vegetables of the world: A multilingual onomasticon |isbn=9789086867202 |last1=Kays |first1=S. J. }}</ref> It is also used in traditional medicines as an aid to digestion.
==See also== *''Lactuca sativa'' * A-choy
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q4236769}}
indica Category:Flora of Asia Category:Plants described in 1771