ABSTRACT
Vigorous growing leafy stems before flowering and unexpanded inflorescences may be cooked as a potherb (Fernald et al. 1958). At least the Cherokee ate them historically, and probably others also. Morton (1968b) considered young plants and leaves fairly good when cooked as greens, but not good raw. However, Fernald et al. (1958) considered the greens good enough to use as a salad. Native people used Lactuca as a nerve tonic, sedative (Cherokee), pain reliever (Cherokee, Iroquois), and diuretic (Iroquois), to ease or
promote lactation (Ojibwas, Meskwakis), and as a remedy for warts (Ojibwa), pimples, poisonivy rash (Menomini), and other skin irritations, and to stop bleeding cuts (Iroquois) (Vogel 1970, King 1984, Foster and Duke 1990). External use is risky as the plant may cause dermatitis in some.
