THE POLYPETAL.E 63 



/ 



addition, the order possesses the following character- 



istics: 



1. The petals are free. 



2. The stamens are free and numerous. 



Opium-Poppy {Papaver somniferimi). — This is not a 



British plant, but is nevertheless a/ common object in 

 our gardens, and could be more extensively and more 

 prohtably cultivated if desired. It is distinguished from 

 the other members of the order by — 



r 



1. Its smooth stem and foliage. ' 



2. Its flowers, which are white, but pinkish-purple at 



the base of the petals (fig. 33). 



Opium is obtained by making horizontal incisions in 

 the poppy -heads a few days after the fall of the flow^er. 

 The •milky juice which exudes in the form of tears is 

 left on the plant for twenty-four hours, after which it 

 is scraped off and made into cakes. This milky juice 

 IS also found in the petals; the seeds have very little of 

 It, and, in fact, on account of the large amount of oil 

 that they contain, they are eaten in some parts of Europe, 

 being made into cakes. These cakes, when the oil has 

 been expressed from them, also make excellent food for 

 cattle. 



Poisonous Properties. — Opium contains a large number 

 of alkaloids^ many being highly poisonous. The cases 

 of poisoning which occur in this country are, how^ever, 

 confined exclusively to the abuse of various medicinal 

 Preparations. The symptoms of opium poisoning are 

 drowsiness leading into insensibility, relaxation of 

 muscles, clammy perspiration, and contraction of the 

 pupils. The principal opium bases used in medicine 

 t^i'e morphine, codeine, apmnorpkine, the first two 

 ^*^iiig narcotics, the third an emetic. 



