Prenanthes altissima L. var. cinnamomea Fernald
Prenanthes altissima L.
Tall white lettuce, rattlesnake root, tall rattlesnakeroot
Tall white lettuce is a North American native.
Plants: A stout central stem is glabrous, light green to mottled purple to purple, and 12–79″ (30–200 cm) tall. Much smaller green side branches support a few leaves and the flowers.
Leaves: Alternate, 1½–7″ (4–17 cm) around, and hairless. Torn leaves produce a white latex. Leaf shapes are highly variable: triangular, heart-shaped, 3-5 lobed, with a couple of coarse teeth or smooth-edges. Lower leaves have longer stems (petioles), and they are winged.
Flowers: Most members of the aster family are composite flowers, meaning they have both ray and disk florets. This species, however, has only ray flowers. Each flower is tubular, downward-hanging, with 5 petals, cream tinged with green to straw yellow in color. Flowers are ¾″ long ⨉ ½″ around (1.9 ⨉ 1.3 cm), and emerging from the center of each about ½″ (1.3 cm) are several stamens. Flowers appear from August to November.
Fruits: Fruits (if you want to get technical, they are called cypselae for plants in the aster family) are ⅛–3/16″ (3.5–6 mm) long, and tan to brown, with 8-11 ribs.
Habitats: Moist habitats, and mountainsides, forests, and woodlands.
Edibility: Very young basal leaves are edible.
Online References:
References:
Nabalus altissimus (L.) Hook.
Prenanthes altissima L. var. cinnamomea Fernald
Prenanthes altissima L. var. cinnamomea Fernald
7/31/2012 · Bemis Rd Conservation Area, Pepperell, Massachusetts · ≈ 1 × 1½′ (34 × 52 cm) 
ID is uncertain 
8/19/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton, Massachusetts · ≈ 4½ × 4″ (11 × 10 cm) ID is uncertain 
5/18/2025 · Center Point Preserve, Bowdoinham, Maine · ≈ 12 × 8″ (30 × 20 cm) 
8/24/2023 · Morse Mountain, Phippsburg, Maine · ≈ 8 × 12″ (20 × 31 cm) 
9/26/2010 · Brooks Woodland Preserve, Swift River Tract, Petersham, Massachusetts · ≈ 7 × 11″ (18 × 27 cm) ID is uncertain 
8/19/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton, Massachusetts · ≈ 8 × 5″ (19 × 13 cm) ID is uncertain 
9/26/2010 · Brooks Woodland Preserve, Swift River Tract, Petersham, Massachusetts · ≈ 8 × 12″ (20 × 31 cm) ID is uncertain 
5/18/2025 · Center Point Preserve, Bowdoinham, Maine · ≈ 6 × 8″ (14 × 21 cm) 
7/31/2012 · Bemis Rd Conservation Area, Pepperell, Massachusetts · ≈ 1 × 1½′ (32 × 47 cm) ID is uncertain 
8/19/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton, Massachusetts · ≈ 1½ × 1½″ (3.9 × 4 cm) ID is uncertain 
8/24/2023 · Morse Mountain, Phippsburg, Maine · ≈ 4½ × 6″ (12 × 15 cm) 
8/19/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton, Massachusetts · ≈ 3½ × 2½″ (9.8 × 6.6 cm) ID is uncertain 
9/26/2010 · Brooks Woodland Preserve, Swift River Tract, Petersham, Massachusetts · ≈ 7 × 11″ (18 × 27 cm) ID is uncertain 
| Kingdom | Plantae | Plants, but not fungi, lichens, or algae (from Stearn's Botanical Latin) |
| Subkingdom | Tracheobionta | Vascular plants—plants with a “circulatory system” for delivering water and nutrients |
| Division | Magnoliophyta | Flowering plants, also known as angiosperms |
| Class | Magnoliopsida | Dicotyledons—plants with two initial seed leaves |
| Subclass | Asteridae | A large class that encompasses asters |
| Order | Asterales | Flowering plants with a central disk flower and surrounding petals, like daisies |
| Family | Asteraceae | The aster family, which also includes daisies and sunflowers; from the Greek ἀστήρ, “star,” for the star-shaped flowers |
| Genus | Prenanthes | From Greek prenes, “prone, prostrate, with face downward,” and anthos, “flower” |
| Species | altissima | “Very tall, tallest” |
Prenanthes altissima description by Thomas H. Kent, not updated.
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