Western Blue Lettuce (Lactuca oblongifolia Nutt.)

Also known as showy blue lettuce, Russia blue lettuce ; also classified as Lactuca tatarica (L.) C.A. Mey., Mulgedium oblongifolium (Nutt.) Reveal, Mulgedium pulchellum (Pursh) G.Don, Lactuca pulchella (Pursh) DC.

This taxon is referred to inconsistently in different sources. BONAP and USDA PLANTS refer to it as Lactuca tatarica (L.) C.A. Mey. which reflects a taxonomic scheme in which it is treated as a sub-taxon of a Eurasian species. Under our scheme, this taxon is separated and L. tatarica does not occur in North America. This species has also been reclassified into the Mulgedium genus, and some authorities, including FSUS, adopt that reclassification. We follow the scheme used by POWO which separates this taxon as a species, but still considers it part of the Lactuca genus. If placed in the Mulgedium genus, some sources use the older but illegitimate name Mulgedium pulchellum (Pursh) G.Don; it is legitimately referred to as Mulgedium oblongifolium (Nutt.) Reveal.