Plantae | Asterales | Asteraceae | Ixeris | Ixeris stolonifera |
- Plant Type: Perennial herb.
- Color: Yellow
- Flower Dimensions: 0.4 to 0.7 inches in diameter.
- Blooming Season: Spring (April to June).
- Places in Japan with Creeping Lettuce: Very widespread in open mountain slopes, Mount Oyama, Isehara, and Kanagawa.
The creeping lettuce is a flowering plant of the Asteraceae family. It is a widespread species in Japan. Being perennial, this plant grows to 0.2 meters by 0.5 meters.
- The leaf blade of the creeping lettuce measures 5-30+ by 5-30+ mm. It has retrorse teeth near the bases.
- There are 18-29 flowers on the head. The corollaWhat is corolla?A collective term referring to the petals of a flower. is ligulate and yellow.
- The creeping lettuce plants are hermaphroditesWhat is hermaphrodites?Having both male and female reproductive organs. and are pollinated mainly by insects.
- Ixeris stolonifera prefers moist soil and grows well in semi-shade or no shade.
- Ixeris stolonifera is often confused with Ixeris japonica because they almost look the same. However, I. stolonifera has smaller flowers and fruits. Ovate- orbicular leaves are also more in the I. stolonifera species.
Interesting Facts of Creeping Lettuce
- Ixeris stolonifera[1] means “to bound the ground and comes from this sight“. The stem of the Creeping lettuce reaches out and splits with the ground.
- The Japanese name of Ixeris stolonifera is Jishibari which means “to bound the ground”. This is because the stem of the Creeping lettuce reaches out and splits with the ground.
- Comparative studies[2] indicate that I. japonica is an auto-hexaploid derived from I. stolonifera. However, the two species have many morphological similarities.
- Researchers discovered that the essential oil of I. stolonifera[3] has 97 volatile flavor components.
- Many plantsmen considered I. stolonifera[4] species a noxious weed because it spreads like lightning by stolons and displaces the vegetation.
- A study[5] indicates that I. stolonifera and I. repens are closely related species based on the chromosomes and karyotype. However, the I. repens is more primitive than I. stolonifera.
Suggested Reading: Flower Species Names | Yellow Mums
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BioExplorer.net. (2025, January 02). Creeping Lettuce. Bio Explorer. https://www.bioexplorer.net/plants/flowers/creeping-lettuce/.
BioExplorer.net. "Creeping Lettuce" Bio Explorer, 02 January 2025, https://www.bioexplorer.net/plants/flowers/creeping-lettuce/.
BioExplorer.net. "Creeping Lettuce" Bio Explorer, January 02 2025. https://www.bioexplorer.net/plants/flowers/creeping-lettuce/.