Lactuca ID and use

[Pilgrim81]

Hello all,

I think I've started a beginner's quest to survey my local surroundings.

After a few false starts, I stumbled acrosss some weeds which, it dawned on me, look like some sort of lactuca (serriola?). It produces white sap when bent. Apologies once again for the photo quality.

Help with an ID much appreciated! Also, a few questions if anyone can help:

1. Serriola and virosa - both are literally common garden weeds? I've probably pulled many out, not knowing what they are, right?

2. Are either particularly good/useful?

3. Best method to explore? (Not much of a smoker. I've read that the tea is pretty shocking, but is it worth it?).

Cheers!

[Foo]

I hate those things.

[Micromegas]

l. serriola. ancestor of modern lettuce i think. can be used in salads but a bit bitter apparently (I haven't tried). loads of info on the net about medicinal/sedative use just google it as it has a long folk and mythological history of interest. think the tea is the way to go if you are keen but again i haven't tried. serious problem weed in some dryland argicultural areas.

[Gunter]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lactucopicrin

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lactucin

the active chemicals are quite interesting

use of extracts and the plant is legal here in the USA where i am located, here is more information:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lactucarium

http://www.erowid.org/experiences/subs/exp_Lactuca_spp.shtml

it seems tricky to extract and hard to justify experimenting with, but has been used for hundreds if not thousands of years

[random]

The last picture looks like a 'weed' that grows around my area, that somebody I know always (annoyingly so!) remarks to me that it is used as tobacco by Pitjantjatjara mob in the APY lands (Aboriginal community in South Australia), whether or not it is true I cannot say but certainly an interesting thought.

My pet rabbits seem to like eating it although the prickly hairs on it mean I don't touch it or feed it to them myself LOL

p.s I realise it isn't a native Australian plant.

Edit for spelling

Edited April 7, 2011 by meeka

[DarkSpark]

The last picture looks like a 'weed' that grows around my area,

 

yeah same, pretty sure lactuca grow everywhere there is sun, similar to sida... I have attempted to harvest the "opium" from lactuca and it is a slow and arduous task, however i believe an alchohol extraction or similar may work far better.

[t st tantra]

tried a commercial lettuce ext years ago and found it very disappointing.

recently made my own.it seems much better but i still think it has little value as a recreational.

however as a medicinal it seems to provide good pain relief with a possibly anticonstipating effect ,hydrating the bowels to an extent.farting can be a side effect,about 25% of the time from my limited experience.

it also seems a good sedative and has a cooling action which may be useful....

t s t .

[Zen Peddler]

I can say that an extract of Lactuca virosa dried leaf material has pretty profound recreational potential.

Edited July 3, 2011 by Zen Peddler BlueGreenie

[DarkSpark]

Lactuca makes a great media for applying JWH-018 ! free and abundant.