Tas. 8119. 
MECONOPSIS PUNICEA. 
Tibet and W. China. 
PapaVERACEAE. Tribe EUPAPAVEREAE. 
Meconopsts, Vig.; Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. Plant. vol. i p. 52; Prantl & 
Kiindig in Engl. & Prantl Pflanzenfam. vol. iti. part 2, p. 141. 
Meconopsis (§ Polychaetia) punicea, Maxim. Flor. Tangut. p. 34, t. 23, 
figs. 12-21; Gard. Chron. 1904, vol. xxxvi. pp. 282, 289, ig. 130; Prain in 
Ann. Bot. vol. xx. p. 355; species in genere ob flores intense puniceos 
insignis, caeterisque exceptis M. integrifolia et M. Oliweriana tantum, 
quibus flores ambabus sunt Jutei, stigmate eessili discrepat. 
Herba monocarpica, acaulis. Folia radicalia caespitosa, pilis barbellatis laxe 
hirsuta, ovato-lanceolata, apice acuta, margine integra, basi sensim in 
petiolum Jatiusculum attenuata, 18-30 cm. longa, 4-5 cm. lata, utrinque 
viridia. Flores magni, speciosi, alabastrisque nutautes, pedunculis 1-floris 
simplicibus 45-50 cm. altis pilis subretrorsis indutis. Sepala 2, oblongo- 
ovata, 3 cm. longa, extra hirsuta. Petala 4, rarissime in cultis staminum 
impendio 8-9, ovato-oblonga, intense punicea, 10 cm. longa, 6 cm. lata. 
Stamina oo, pluri-seriata, filamentis liguliformibus glabris discretis. Ova- 
rium e carpellis 4-6 compositum, dense appresse hirsutum, ovatum, 2 
cm. longum, stigmate sessili 4-6-lobo, lobis divaricatis radiantibus 
coronatum; placentae intrusae; ovula plurima. Capsula ovata, 2°5 cm. 
longa, 1°25 cm. lata; semina reticulata. 
The Poppyworts which compose the genus Meconopsis 
are familiar and favourite plants in Alpine gardens. ‘he 
genus is now known to include about twenty-seven dis- 
tinguishable forms, of which seventeen have been intro- 
duced at various times to European horticulture; about 
twelve of these are now familiar to English growers. 
With the exception of M. cambrica, which is European, 
and two forms, possibly not specifically distinct, from 
California, the species of this genus are confined to the 
Himalayan range, to Western China, and to the eastern 
half of the Tibetan table-land. The foilowing have already 
been figured in the Botanical Magazine :—M. Wallichii, 
t. 4668; M. aculeata, t. 5456; M. robusta, under the name 
M. nipalensis, t. 5585; M. napaulensis, as M. Wallichia, 
var. rubrofusca, t. 6760; M. heterophylla, t. 7636; and 
M. integrifolia, t. 8027. 
Meconopsis punicea is unlike any species hitherto re- 
ported as regards the colour of its petals. In the majority 
of the species this is either yellow or blue, a few have 
Fepruary Ist, 1907. 
