| Author | Content |
ladyh
La Luz, NM
November 25, 2012 2:26 PM Post #9342179
| These pictures are of one type of plant. I thought it was dandelion but I don't think it is. The edges are smooth but irregular and I have eaten this. I am desperate to find the identification before feeding to my livestock.. Thankyou!
This message was edited Nov 25, 2012 3:29 PM
Click an image for an enlarged view.
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greenthumb99
Lucketts, VA (Zone 7a)
November 25, 2012 2:54 PM Post #9342210
| Looks like a Brassica or something else in the mustard family, highly likely safe to eat. |
singhg45
Delhi
India
November 25, 2012 3:01 PM Post #9342215
| Not Brassica please
It is Sonchus oleraceous a member of Compositae (Asteraceae). |
ladyh
La Luz, NM
November 25, 2012 3:38 PM Post #9342252
| just brought up pics of the sonchus oleraceous...and it is similar but not quite my leaves are rounder... brought up brassica pictures, definitely not that.. |
singhg45
Delhi
India
November 25, 2012 4:27 PM Post #9342286
| Sonchus oleraceous is one of the most common plants with considerable variation but texture is unmistakable. Tear a leaf and see milky latex coming out. When it produces stems the leaf base would have conspicuous amplexicaule base with pointed bases |
greenthumb99
Lucketts, VA (Zone 7a)
November 25, 2012 5:02 PM Post #9342311
| LadyH - Do you recall what the blossoms were like? If they were dandelion-like then it is a member of the Composite Family. If the plant had 4-part flowers then it is a member of the Mustard Family. Leaf shape alone will not resolve this issue. Brassicas have a seemingly endless number of forms, and there are the Barbareas (Cress), the Erucas (Arugula) and many others. Do the plants produce a thick rootstock like a turnip or radish? Less likely, did the flowers occur in unbrels like Queen Anne's Lace? Could certainly be Sonchus oleraceous but it differs from what grows in my yard. At any rate, it is likely an edible plant, as your survival testifies to. |
ladyh
La Luz, NM
November 25, 2012 5:27 PM Post #9342338
| It had yellow flowers that turned to the blow stuff just like a dandelion did but the leaves didn't look like dandelion leaves... The leaves are smooth, the ends are just uneven not sharp..I've seen pictures of milk weed and it doesn't look like that. It does have a milky substance in the stem when it is cut. I want to feed to livestock but am hesitant because I don't know what it definitely is... I don't want to poison them. The second picture above is what I took off and put on the counter to get a better picture
This message was edited Nov 25, 2012 6:29 PM
This message was edited Nov 25, 2012 6:31 PM |
meltonw
Mobile, AL
November 25, 2012 5:33 PM Post #9342348
| Maybe a Lactuca? Leaves remind me of Lactuca canadensis: not sure if it is found in your area of NM.
How tall is the plant? Latuca is ut to eight feet tall, Sonchus not so much.
This message was edited Nov 25, 2012 8:54 PM |
greenthumb99
Lucketts, VA (Zone 7a)
November 25, 2012 5:50 PM Post #9342366
| Based on your description of the flowers, seeds and sap it is sounding more and more like Sonchus, which is quite edible for (Wo)man and beast. Looks like Singhg45 got it from the git-go. Feed it to your family, friends, neighbors, livestock... |
singhg45
Delhi
India
November 25, 2012 6:02 PM Post #9342390
| Yes Lactuca is another good choice. If the dandelion like stuff that flew off (they are fruits of type achene or more correctly Cypsella) had a long narrow neck almost as long as body, it surely would be Lactuca, if no neck it could be Sonchus. Of ourse it is not dandelion (Taraxacum). |
singhg45
Delhi
India
November 25, 2012 6:17 PM Post #9342406
| I still go with Sonchus unless more photographs of stem, flowers or fruits (conclusive in Compositae...In fact I had published a paper for identifying Indian species of Compositae entirely on the basis of fruits, in 1972). This should be helpful in final decision. The basal leaves look very much similar.
http://keyserver.lucidcentral.org/weeds/data/03030800-0b07-4... |
ladyh
La Luz, NM
November 26, 2012 8:39 AM Post #9342856
| The lactuca doesn't look like it and the sonchus is almost but too skinny leaves... The plant is not very tall maybe 6" max. I have searched and searched pictures online and nothing seems to match... This is so frustrating LOL |
ladyh
La Luz, NM
November 26, 2012 8:44 AM Post #9342861
| This kinda looks like it? http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=SOOL&photoID=sool... what do you think... not a green live pic |
singhg45
Delhi
India
November 26, 2012 9:59 AM Post #9342919
| I am happy you are coming around to Sonchus oleraceous. Do post picture when it comes to fruit. It would nail the ID |
ladyh
La Luz, NM
November 26, 2012 10:25 AM Post #9342940
| I looks like dandelion with the seeds afterwards that you blow off. That's why I thought it was dandelion. But looking at the leaves it's not. |
vngarden
Seattle, WA
November 27, 2012 4:52 PM Post #9344130
| Halimolobos diffusus?
http://www.wnmu.edu/academic/nspages/gilaflora/halimolobos_d...
hope this is what you are looking for.
Pham |
singhg45
Delhi
India
November 27, 2012 6:21 PM Post #9344212
| No dear vngarden,
Please read the statement of ladyh above "It had yellow flowers that turned to the blow stuff just like a dandelion did but..." and earlier " It does have a milky substance in the stem when it is cut."
Moreover, it does not look like crucifer.
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vngarden
Seattle, WA
November 27, 2012 7:17 PM Post #9344260
| Crepis sancta? smooth hawkhead?
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&biw=1259&bih=586&gbv=2&tb...
Pham |
singhg45
Delhi
India
November 27, 2012 10:05 PM Post #9344404
| Here is my photograph of basal leaves of Crepis sancta from Kashmir. Obviously a much different plant. 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
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steadycam3
Houston Heights, TX (Zone 9a)
November 27, 2012 10:12 PM Post #9344406
| I thought plants with milky sap were to be avoided as possibly poisonous. |
vngarden
Seattle, WA
November 29, 2012 9:55 PM Post #9345965
| One more crack at this. I think it is a Youngia japonica, Asiatic hawksbeard.
http://www.enature.com/fieldguides/detail.asp?source=&parkid... |
singhg45
Delhi
India
November 29, 2012 10:05 PM Post #9345968
| Youngia japonica is too delicate as plant with much smaller hairy basal leaves. Here it s from Kashmir again 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
|
alternz
Brynderwyn
New Zealand
November 30, 2012 2:27 AM Post #9345992
| steadycam3 - I was also brought up to think that plants with milky sap should not be eaten but Maori here in New Zealand eat Puha, which I would have called Milk thistle, regularly - apparently one or two Sonchus species qualify as Puha.
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greenthumb99
Lucketts, VA (Zone 7a)
November 30, 2012 4:55 AM Post #9346036
| Digging through my photos I found some shots of a plant ID'd as Sonchus oleraceous several years ago. They compare favorably to the plant in question. 
Click an image for an enlarged view.
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singhg45
Delhi
India
November 30, 2012 8:27 AM Post #9346179
| Thanks, we are finally reaching the conclusion. In fact the plant grows so commonly in both my home Kashmir and my place of work Delhi, to mistake an thing else for it. In fact I have photographed it repeatedly (must be having more than 100 photographs) to find the real difference between S. oleraceous and S. asper, because the characters often used in books/floras don't help to be helping much, including the leaf base and leaf margin.
I wish ladyH clicks the plant in flower to clear all doubts. We ran through so many options. Luckily I had seen all suggested options in plenty to take a considered decision. |
steadycam3
Houston Heights, TX (Zone 9a)
November 30, 2012 7:17 PM Post #9346578
| Thanks, alternz.I probably still wont eat any but it's good to know. |
