Lettuce (Lactuca sativa) is an annual or biennial plant of temperate climates belonging to the Asteraceae family. It is typically grown as a leafy vegetable and eaten raw (especially in salads, sandwiches, hamburgers, tacos, and many other dishes) or cooked (as in Chinese cuisine, where the stalk is considered as important as the leaf). Both the English and Latin names of the genus come from the root *lac*, which means milk in Latin, referring to the plant’s milky sap. Lettuce has a mild flavor and has historically been considered a fresh counterpoint to other salad ingredients.