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82.05.00c

Plant names

Preferred Citation:

Ferdinand von Mueller to the Australasian Veterinary Journal, 1882-05 [82.05.00c]. R.W. Home, Thomas A. Darragh, A.M. Lucas, Sara Maroske, D.M. Sinkora, J.H. Voigt and Monika Wells (eds), Correspondence of Ferdinand von Mueller, <https://vmcp.rbg.vic.gov.au/id//letters/1880-9/1882/82-05-00c-final.odt>, accessed June 13, 2026

1
Letter not found. The text given here is from 'Wild lettuce — Victoria)', Australasian veterinary journal, vol. 1, no. 6, June 1882, p. 66 (B82.06.03). It is dated to May 1882 as the latest likely date that the letter could have been sent to be received and printed in the June issue. The letter is introduced by 'Mr. John Aked, M.R.C.V.S., Sandhurst [now Bendigo, Vic], kindly forwarded a plant which he obtained from Mr. George Killingbeck, Leichardt, Victoria, who states that the plant cannot be obtained in perfection at the present season, being an annual, and having shed its seed. We submitted the plant to Baron Ferd. von Mueller, who furnished the following valuable information: —'. The item was reprinted in Chemist and druggist of Australasia, 1 February 1886, p. 12 (B86.02.04).
The herb of which you sent a sample is indigenous to the southern parts of Europe. It is sedative, and in large doses narcotic. Lactucarium is the inspissated sap of this and allied plants. Medicinally, lactucarium has been in use as a general anti-spasmodic. It alleviates asthma, cough, palpitation of the heart, &c. This lettuce is botanically known as
Lactuca saligna

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, and is closely allied to the British wild lettuce ( L. scariola ).
2
An asterisk at this point leads to a footnote, probably inserted by the editor:
Balfour (‘Class Book on Botany [i.e. J. Balfour (1870a)],’ page 838): — ‘
Lactuca virosa

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(wild lettuce) gives out abundantly a white juice, which, when inspissated, constitutes the anodyne narcotic called lactucarium , or lettuce opium. L. Sativa (common lettuce) also yields a similar juice, but by cultivation loses much of its narcotic property. Both plants contain a neutral active principle called lactucin .’