A close wild relative to our modern-day lettuce varieties, prickly lettuce or wild lettuce (Lactuca serriola) is an edible and widely spread weed that is found in most parts of Australia.
Native to Europe, Asia and parts of Africa and a member of the asteraceae family, this winter annual is a good replacement for our common lettuce varieties. It has a stronger flavour, slightly more bitterness and has been used for a long time as a medicinal herb.