Nipplewort
Lapsana communis
Family: Asteraceae
What it is like
A medium sized annual herb. The stems are erect. It can be 1.5 m tall. It does not have milky latex when cut. It may or may not have branches. The leaves are oval and have teeth. The leaves are often lobed at the base. The lower leaves have stalks and the upper leaves are smaller and do not have stalks. The flowers heads are yellow and 10-20 mm across. They are borne in loose branched flower arrangements. The florets all have rays. The flower bracts are sword shaped. They are erect.
Where it is found
It is a Mediterranean climate plant. It can grow in sunny or shady places. in Argentina it grows below 1,000 m above sea level. Tasmania Herbarium.
Countries/locations it is found in
Antilles, Argentina, Asia, Australia, Balkans, Bosnia, Brazil, Britain, Bulgaria, Caucasus, Chile, China, Dominican Republic, Europe, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Greenland, Haiti, Hawaii, India, Italy, Jamaica, Korea, Luxembourg, Mediterranean, Netherlands, New Zealand, North Africa, North America, Pacific, Portugal, Sicily, Slovenia, South America, Spain, Tasmania, Turkey, Türkiye, Venezuela, West Indies
How it is used for food
The leaves are boiled and used in soups. They can also be cooked and used like spinach. The young leaves are eaten raw in salads and sandwiches.
Edible parts
Leaves, shoots
How it is grown
Its other names
Local names
Gialineto, Lampsana, Lapsana, Lassana, Lassani ruci, Muletta, Navadni kolenček, Ognjicina, Rdzia-rdzia, Sgarbun, Sportavecchia, Vazisdzira