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Lettuce, (Lactuca sativa), annual leaf vegetable of the aster family (Asteraceae). Most lettuce varieties are eaten fresh and are commonly served as the base of green salads. Lettuce is generally a rich source of vitamins K and A, though the nutritional quality varies, depending on the variety.Lettuce plants can have taproots or fibrous root systems. The leaves of domesticated varieties come in a wide range of colours, from shades of green to deep red and purple; variegated varieties have also been developed. Lettuces are harvested prior to flowering, as the “bolting” of the flower stalk elongates head lettuce, reduces the size of the leaves, and imparts a bitter flavour. The yellow flower heads produce achene fruits with feathery pappus structures for wind dispersal.