THE DICOTYLEDONES 



1635 



Fig. 1495. — Meconopsis cambrica. Flower. 



representativeof the genus, which is chiefly ^^S' ^^96. Glaucmm 



, "^ . . . -, flaviim. siliqua-like 



found in the Mediterranean region. There "fruits, showing basipetal 



is also one Chinese species. dehiscence. 



In contrast to the fruit of Glauchim, that of Chelidoniiim has no septum, 

 although it also is formed from two carpels. The seeds are distributed by 

 ants. This genus is represented by the single species Chelidoniiim majus 

 (Great Celandine) which is distributed from Europe to Japan including 

 Britain, where it is only doubtfully native. Among the American genera we 

 may mention Eschscholtzia and Platysternon, the latter being particularly 

 interesting because it is considered to show a close relationship with the 

 Ranales. This is indicated in the multilocular ovary which is formed from 

 many carpels which are laterally united only in the basal region. 



The genera Bocconia and Macleaya, which are natives of America and 

 the West Indies, and of China and Japan respectively, are interesting 

 because of the absence of any corolla and the aggregation of the flowers into 

 compound racemes. There are five species of Bocconia; one is a small 

 annual, three are medium-sized perennial herbs and one is a small tree, 

 an unusual diversity of form for a single small genus. B. cordata, the 

 Plume Poppy, is often cultivated in gardens. 



The flowers of the Papaveroideae are slightly protogynous or rarely 

 protandrous. The bright colour of the petals is sometimes enhanced by the 

 colour of the stamens. Nectar is rarely produced and insects visit the flowers 

 mostly to collect pollen. In Papaver and Eschscholtzia the flowers are 

 visited chiefly by flies, while in Glauciuni and Chelidoniiim bees occasionally 

 visit the flowers on account of their bright yellow colour. 



