Prenanthes racemosa (Glaucous White Lettuce) - photos and description
Upper stem leaf clasping the stem
Stem leaf in above photo
Basal leaf
Origin: Native.
General: Upright plants with stout stems and glaucous leaves. Plants glabrous except for the inflorescence which is pilose.
Flowers: Flowers in a loose raceme, white to pinkish corolla and purplish-brown sepals. Flowers were measured at 2 cm long, 1 cm across.
Leaves: Basal leaves have a long, winged stalk, we measured a basal leaf at 20 cm long, 2.5 cm wide. The upper leaves are alternate and clasp the stem. Leaves are oblanceolate to spatulate, with somewhat wavy margins.
Height: Plants listed in Budd's Flora to 150 cm high, we measured plants to 105 cm cm tall.
Habitat: Wooded areas and moist meadows in the parklands and boreal forest.
Abundance: Listed as uncommon by Checklist of the Vascular Plants of Saskatchewan.
How to identify this species of Prenanthes: The oblanceolate to spatulate leaves distinguishes this from the other Prenanthes species growing in Saskatchewan, Prenanthes alba, whose leaves are lobed and have an arrowhead shape.
When and where photographed: Took the above photos July 28th in a moist ditch 200 km east of Regina, SK, July 31st, August 5th, and August 8th on a roadside moist meadow, boreal forest, east of Hudson Bay, SK, about 400 km north east of Regina, SK, and August 8th, aspen woods in the Qu'Appelle Valley, about 30 km north of our home in Regina, SK.