1632 



A TEXTBOOK OF THEORETICAL BOTANY 



mainly Mediterranean plants, though two species of Reseda (Fig. 1491) are 

 found in the British Isles. Some, such as Mignonette [Reseda odorata) are 

 cultivated in gardens. 



Papaveraceae 



The family is a small one but includes several British genera, among 

 which we may mention Papaver (Poppy); Meconopsis, which occurs 

 chiefly in America and eastern Asia, but is represented in this country by 

 the rare M. cambrica (Welsh Poppy); Glauciiim (Horned Poppy); Cheli- 

 donium (Celandine); CorydaUs (Holewort); and Fumaria (Fumitory). 

 Eschscholtzia (Californian Poppy) and Dicentra (Bleeding Heart) are 

 commonly grown in gardens. 



The plants are generally herbaceous or shrubby {e.g., Romneya) or in 

 the case of Bocconia may become a small tree. The leaves are alternate, 

 rarely entire but more often lobed or deeply dissected. A laticiferous system 

 is often well developed. Some are annuals but many are perennial. 



The flowers (Fig. 1492) are usually large, solitary or in cymose inflor- 

 escences. Usually they are actinomorphic, but are consistently zygomorphic 



Fig. 1492. — Papaver rhoeas. 

 Floral diagram. (After 

 Eichley.) 



in CorydaUs, Dicentra and Fumaria, with the result that these genera are by 

 some writers included in a separate family. The genus Hypecoiim, however, 

 connects the two families together and little is gained by this separation. 



The sepals are usually two in number, occasionally three, and fall off 

 at an early stage in development. 



The petals are usually four, more rarely six, eight or twelve, regularly 

 alternating in two whorls. They are imbricate and often much crumpled 

 in the bud. When expanded they are large and usually brightly coloured, 

 falling off very soon after expansion. Petals are absent in Bocconia and 

 Macleaya. 



The androecium is hypogynous. The stamens are indefinite in 

 number, except in the zygomorphic types, usually in two, three, four or 

 six alternating whorls. The anthers are bilocular and the split is longitu- 

 dinal. 



