#3743 - Lapsana communis - Nipplewort
Despite the huge efforts the motel owners had made to salvage the garden, weeds were already moving back in - a perennial problem in any garden, of course.
The name Lapsana comes from lapsane, an edible herb described by Greek physician Dioscorides and Marcus Terentius Varro of Ancient Rome, but it's quite likely they were talking about the Wild Radish Raphanus raphanistrum, which is still called 'Lampsana' in Apulia, SE Italy. The English common name 'Nipplewort' is a translation by pioneering English botanist John Parkinson (1567–1650) of 'Papillaris', the name used by Prussian apothecaries. Allegedly the resemblance of the flower buds to human nipples indicated that the plant was able to heal cracked nipples and mastitis. One Scottish name for the plant, 'Bolgan-leaves', means pretty much the same thing. In Ireland it was used for the healing of cuts, bruises or burns, but these days is regarded as lacking any medicinal qualities whatsoever.
Native to Europe and southwestern Asia, but widely naturalized elsewhere. It grows to a bit over 1m tall, and unlike the related dandelions and many other Cichorieae, never develops the parachute-like pappus on the seeds that helps them disperse on the breeze.
The young leaves can be eaten in salads or cooked like spinach.
Dunedin, Aotearoa New Zealand.