Type of Lettuce and Methods of Production

1 .- 37 . (canceled)

38 . A method of producing a lettuce plant, or part thereof, with iceberg lettuce and romaine lettuce characteristics, said method comprising the steps of:

a) crossing an iceberg lettuce with a romaine lettuce;

b) selecting a progeny lettuce plant comprising a leaf length to leaf width ratio between about 1.2 and about 2.7 and further comprising:

i) at least one morphological characteristic of an iceberg lettuce type selected from the group consisting of crisp texture, bland taste, high water content, and firm density; and

ii) at least one morphological characteristic selected from the group consisting of an elliptical leaf stature, a spatulate leaf shape, and a semi open head formation.

39 . The method of claim 38 , further comprising the steps of:

c) crossing said selected progeny lettuce plant with itself or another romaine or iceberg lettuce plant to yield progeny seed;

d) growing said progeny seed of step c) to yield F 2 progeny plants; and

e) repeating the crossing and growing steps of c) and d) from 0 to 7 times to generate a lettuce plant comprising a leaf length to leaf width ratio between about 1.2 and about 2.7 and further comprising:

i) at least one morphological characteristic of an iceberg, lettuce type selected from the group consisting of crisp texture, bland taste, high water content, and firm density; and

ii) at least one morphological characteristic selected from the group consisting of an elliptical leaf stature, a spatulate leaf shape, and a semi open head formation.

40 . The method of claim 38 , wherein said progeny lettuce plant comprises a leaf length to leaf width ratio that is between about 1.2 and about 2.1.

41 . The method of claim 38 , wherein said progeny lettuce plant comprises a leaf length to leaf width ratio that is between about 1.2 and about 1.8.

42 . The method of claim 38 , wherein said progeny lettuce plant comprises a firm texture.

43 . The method of claim 38 , wherein said progeny lettuce plant comprises a bland taste.

44 . The method of claim 38 , wherein said progeny lettuce plant comprises a high water content.

45 . The method of claim 38 , wherein said progeny lettuce plant comprises a firm density.

46 . The method of claim 38 , wherein said progeny lettuce plant comprises an elliptical leaf stature.

47 . The method of claim 38 , wherein said progeny lettuce plant comprises a spatulate leaf shape.

48 . The method of claim 38 , wherein said progeny lettuce plant comprises a semi open head formation.

49 . The progeny lettuce plant, or part thereof, produced by the method of claim 38 , wherein said plant part is a seed, head, leaf, pollen, protoplast, ovule, or cell.

50 . A method of producing a lettuce plant, or part thereof, with iceberg lettuce and romaine lettuce characteristics, said method comprising the steps of:

a) crossing an iceberg lettuce with a romaine lettuce;

b) selecting a progeny plant comprising:

i) at least one morphological characteristic of an iceberg lettuce type selected from the group consisting of crisp texture, bland taste, high water content, and firm density: and

ii) at least one morphological characteristic selected from the group consisting of an elliptical leaf stature, a spatulate leaf shape, and a semi open head formation.

51 . The method of claim 48 , further comprising the steps of:

c) crossing said selected progeny plant with itself or another romaine or iceberg lettuce plant to yield progeny seed;

d) growing said progeny seed of step c) to yield F 2 progeny plants; and

e) repeating the crossing and growing steps of c) and d) from 0 to 7 times to generate a lettuce plant comprising:

i) at least one morphological characteristic of an iceberg lettuce type selected from the group consisting of crisp texture, bland taste, high water content, and firm density; and

ii) at least one morphological characteristic selected from the group consisting of an elliptical leaf stature, a spatulate leaf shape, and a semi open head formation.

52 . The method of claim 50 , wherein said progeny lettuce plant comprises a leaf length to leaf width ratio that is between about 1.2 and about 2.1.

53 . The method of claim 50 , wherein said progeny lettuce plant comprises a leaf length to leaf width ratio that is between about 1.2 and about 1.8.

54 . The method of claim 50 , wherein said progeny lettuce plant comprises a firm texture.

55 . The method of claim 50 , wherein said progeny lettuce plant comprises a bland taste.

56 . The method of claim 50 , wherein said progeny lettuce plant comprises a high water content.

57 . The method of claim 50 , wherein said progeny lettuce plant comprises a firm density.

58 . The method of claim 50 , wherein said progeny lettuce plant comprises an elliptical leaf stature.

59 . The method of claim 50 , wherein said progeny lettuce plant comprises a spatulate leaf shape.

60 . The method of claim 50 , wherein said progeny lettuce plant comprises a semi open head formation.

61 . The progeny lettuce plant, or part thereof, produced by the method of claim 50 , wherein said plant part is a seed, head, leaf, pollen, protoplast, ovule, or cell.