Editing Lettuce (section)

{{Short description|Species of annual plant of the daisy family, most often grown as a leaf vegetable}}
{{Other uses}}
{{pp-vandalism|small=yes}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2020}}
{{Speciesbox
| name = Lettuce
| image = Iceberg lettuce in SB.jpg
| image_alt = A field of bright green heads of lettuce.
| image_caption = A field of iceberg lettuces in California
| genus = Lactuca
| species = sativa
| authority = [[Carl Linnaeus|L.]]
| synonyms =
  {{plainlist |
* ''[[Lactusca scariola]]'' var. ''sativa'' <small>(Moris)</small>
* ''L.&nbsp;scariola'' var. ''integrata'' <small>([[Jean Charles Marie Grenier|Gren.]] and [[Dominique Alexandre Godron|Godr.]])</small>
* ''L.&nbsp;scariola'' var. ''integrifolia'' <small>([[Günther Beck von Mannagetta und Lerchenau|G.Beck]])</small>
  }}
| synonyms_ref = <ref name="Kew" /><ref name="USDA" />
}}

'''Lettuce''' ('''''Lactuca sativa''''') is an [[annual plant]] of the family [[Asteraceae]] mostly grown as a [[leaf vegetable]]. The leaves are most often used raw in [[Green salad|green salads]], although lettuce is also seen in other kinds of food, such as sandwiches, [[wraps]] and soups; it can also be grilled.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/grilledlettucewithgo_14300|title=Grilled lettuce with goats' cheese|publisher=BBC|access-date=17 May 2013|author=Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130717170143/http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/grilledlettucewithgo_14300|archive-date=17 July 2013|url-status=live}}</ref> Its stem and seeds are sometimes used; [[celtuce]] (asparagus lettuce) is one variety grown for its stems, which are eaten either raw or cooked. In addition to its main use as a leafy green, it has also gathered religious and medicinal significance over centuries of human consumption. Europe and North America originally dominated the market for lettuce, but by the late 20th century the consumption of lettuce had spread throughout the world. {{As of|2021}}, world production of lettuce (and [[chicory]]) was 27 million [[tonnes]], 53{{Nbsp}}percent of which came from China.<ref name="faostat" />

Lettuce was originally farmed by the [[ancient Egyptians]], who transformed it from a plant whose seeds were used to obtain oil into an important food crop raised for its succulent leaves and oil-rich seeds. Lettuce spread to the Greeks and Romans; the latter gave it the name {{lang|la|[[lactuca]]}}, from which the English ''lettuce'' is derived. By 50 AD, many types were described, and lettuce appeared often in medieval writings, including several [[herbal]]s. The 16th through 18th centuries saw the development of many [[variety (botany)|varieties]] in Europe, and by the mid-18th century, cultivars were described that can still be found in modern gardens.

Generally grown as a [[Hardiness (plants)|hardy]] [[annual plant|annual]], lettuce is easily cultivated, although it requires relatively low temperatures to prevent it from flowering quickly. It can be plagued by numerous [[Micronutrient deficiency|nutrient deficiencies]], as well as insect and mammal pests, and fungal and bacterial diseases. ''L. sativa'' [[hybrid (biology)|crosses]] easily within the species and with some other species within the genus ''Lactuca''. Although this trait can be a problem to home gardeners who attempt to save seeds, biologists have used it to broaden the [[gene pool]] of cultivated lettuce varieties.

Lettuce is a rich source of [[vitamin K]] and [[vitamin A]], and a moderate source of [[folate]] and [[iron]]. Contaminated lettuce is often a source of bacterial, viral, and parasitic outbreaks in humans, including ''[[Escherichia coli|E. coli]]'' and ''[[Salmonella]]''.