More Lactuca ludoviciana Ecology

Hmm. Well maybe Lactuca ludoviciana flowers may not be primarily cleistogamous. Yesterday, at any rate, the flowers were open for business. No takers though that Crumby noted.

These flowers are little, about 5mm across, as opposed to the much bigger, yellow flowers of Lactuca serriola (see far below).



However, did you know the stems of Lactuca ludoviciana are hollow? Check this out.




Then suddenly, along comes a bee carrying a rolled up petal. What the heck? It’s a Megachile with a nest in the hollow stem of the Lactuca. Cool as a mule!