Lactuca sativa L.

Selada hijau (Lactuca sativa) is an annual or biennial herb up to 1 meter tall from the Asteraceae family thought to originate from the Middle East, first cultivated in ancient Egypt for its seed oil before its leaves were used as a sacred vegetable. The ancient Greeks believed lettuce contained substances that facilitate sleep. Selada hijau is traditionally believed to be a mild sedative and help prevent osteoporosis and anemia.

Lettuce can grow in highlands and lowlands, at elevations of 800-1,800 m asl, but can grow optimally in highlands (mountainous areas). The optimum temperature for its growth is 15-20 °C, prefers light sandy loam, silty loam, and dislikes dry conditions and cannot tolerate overly hot sunlight. The ideal soil acidity (pH) for lettuce growth ranges between 6.5-7, with rainfall ranging between 1,000-1,500 mm/year, humidity ranging between 80-90%, and requires sufficient sunlight (8-12 hours/day). In temperate (subtropical) regions, lettuce plants easily flower.

• Roots has a main taproot and smaller secondary roots that spread in all directions, brown.
• Stem short and jointed, serving as the seat of the leaves, soft, round, upright.
• Leaves obovate-oblong, numerous and usually sessile, arranged spirally in a dense rosette, hairless, smooth, wrinkled. Leaf color varies from light green to dark green.
• Flowers yellow, compound, calyx funnel-shaped, stamens numbering 5 with a length of 0.5 cm, and the anther attached to the corolla.
• Fruit a berry, ovate, 5-7 ribbed on each side, yellowish-white, gray or brown, tip narrowing into a narrow beak.
• Seeds flat, small, white.

• Propagation is done generatively (seeds).
• Sow the seeds first. However before sowing, soak the seeds first in warm water for 1 hour.
• Seedlings are ready to be planted in the field after 3-4 weeks of age or after having four to five leaves.
• Generally planted at the end of the rainy season and harvesting is done after 4-5 months after planting.

Mannite, mallic acid, asparagine, oxalic acid, essential oil, d- and B-lactucerol, inosite, lactucin, triterpenoid, saponin, polyphenol, quercetin, caffeic acid, alkaloid, b-carotene, and lutein.

Mild sedative, relieves restlessness and insomnia, cough in phthisis, bronchitis, asthma, pertussis, appetite stimulant, reduces fever, relieves inflammation and osteodynia, warts, good for a low-calorie diet menu, maintains digestive and kidney health, reduces risk of high blood pressure, hemorrhoids, reduces cancer risk, cataracts and maintains eye health, heart disease and stroke, rheumatism, nasal drops, has anodyne, antispasmodic, diuretic, and antioxidant properties.

Selat, Sladah (Java), Salada (Sunda).