Least Lettuce

Least Lettuce Lactuca saligna, is an intriguing plant, thought to be extinct in about half of its known sites by 1930.   Native to the UK, but introduced throughout the world, there are reports of its presence in the USA, Australia, and many other regions of the world.

However, it loves the sandy shingle and old sea walls with sparse vegetation.   It used to be on the banks and rivers of East Anglia and occasionally on paths and cliffs in Essex.   It was known to have survived in East Anglia until 1953.

Least Lettuce Plant

The Sussex population was dramatically reduced by the inundation of sea water in the 1990's, but the Essex population continued to thrive.   It seemed to benefit from cattle grazing.

In Kent it was re-found on the Isle of Grain in 1999, and there is a site on the Isle of Sheppey which has been know to hold around 1000 plants.

So with this in mind, we had to go and try to find them!

Sadly, the site has had the 'benefit' of some sluice upgrading which appears to have covered the majority of the site in concrete.   However we did find at least 80 plants holding on, and hopefully they will spread again if left undisturbed.

A plant which is easy to overlook, even when you know it is present - as can be seen from the rather poor photos!