Papaver somniferum

Linnaeus

Sp. Pl. 1: 508. 1753.

Common names: Opium poppy common poppy pavot (commun)
IllustratedIntroduced
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 3.

Plants to 15 dm, glabrate, glaucous. Stems simple or branching. Leaves to 30 cm; blade sometimes sparsely setose abaxially on midrib; margins usually shallowly to deeply toothed. Inflorescences: peduncle often sparsely setose. Flowers: petals white, pink, red, or purple, often with dark or pale basal spot, to 6 cm; anthers pale-yellow; stigmas 5-18, disc ± flat. Capsules stipitate, subglobose, not ribbed, to 9 cm, glaucous.


Phenology: Flowering spring–summer.
Habitat: Fields, clearings, stream banks, railroads, roadsides, and other disturbed sites
Elevation: 0-1300 m

Distribution

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Introduced; Greenland, Alta., B.C., Man., N.B., Nfld. and Labr. (Nfld.), N.S., Ont., Que., Sask., Ariz., Calif., Conn., Ill., Mass., Maine, Mich., Minn., Mo., N.H., N.J., N.Mex., N.Y., N.C., N.Dak., Ohio, Oreg., Pa., Tex., Utah, Vt., Va., Europe, Asia

Discussion

Unknown in the wild, Papaver somniferum probably came originally from southeastern Europe and/or southwestern Asia. It has been cultivated for centuries as the source of opium (and its modern derivatives heroin, morphine, and codeine), and also for edible seeds and oil. Various color forms with laciniate and/or doubled petals are grown for ornament. Widely introduced from cultivation and also as a crop weed, it should be expected elsewhere in the flora.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.
... more about "Papaver somniferum"
pale-yellow +
Linnaeus +
pale +  and dark +
palmate +  and subpalmate +
parted +, lobed +, 1-3×pinnately +  and unlobed +
subglobose +
0 cm0 mm <br />0 m <br /> - 9 cm90 mm <br />0.09 m <br /> +
Opium poppy +, common poppy +  and pavot - commun +
sessile +  and subsessile +
Greenland +, Alta. +, B.C. +, Man. +, N.B. +, Nfld. and Labr. - Nfld. +, N.S. +, Ont. +, Que. +, Sask. +, Ariz. +, Calif. +, Conn. +, Ill. +, Mass. +, Maine +, Mich. +, Minn. +, Mo. +, N.H. +, N.J. +, N.Mex. +, N.Y. +, N.C. +, N.Dak. +, Ohio +, Oreg. +, Pa. +, Tex. +, Utah +, Vt. +, Va. +, Europe +  and Asia +
0-1300 m +
sessile +, pedicellate +  and symmetric +
transverse +, poricidal +, valvate +  and dehiscence +
Fields, clearings, stream banks, railroads, roadsides, and other disturbed sites +
paniculate +  and racemose +
terminal +  and axillary +
1×-lobed +  and unlobed +
sessile +, petiolate +  and simple +
alternate +  and opposite or whorled +
cauline +  and basal +
multilocular +
purple +, red +, pink +  and white +
distinct +
obovate +
2 times number of sepals +
0 cm0 mm <br />0 m <br /> - 6 cm60 mm <br />0.06 m <br /> +
Flowering spring–summer. +
3-18[-22]-carpellate +
red +, orange +  and white +
carunculate +  and arillate +
distinct +
obovate +
W2 +, Illustrated +  and Introduced +
branching +  and simple +
decumbent +, spreading +  and erect +
deciduous +  and persistent +
Papaver somniferum +
Papaver sect. Papaver +
species +
glaucous +  and glabrate +