Lactuca tatarica  Lactuca tatarica, the blue lettuce, is a Eurasian and North American species of plants in the dandelion tribe within the daisy family. It is widespread across much of Europe, Asia, and North America. "Lactuca tatarica" is an herb up to 60 cm (2 feet) tall, with a large taproot. Most of the leaves are near the base of the plant, larger than leaves farther up. Each flower head has about 20 blue or purple (rarely white) ray flowers but no disc flowers. Among the Zuni people of New Mexico in the southwestern United States, the dried root gum of "L. tatarica" var. "pulchella" has been used as chewing gum.