SPERMATOPHYTA— PAPAVERACEAE 



481 



the Old World. P. nudicaule is found in high mountains in the Rockies and in 

 the Alpine regions of Europe and Asia. 



Papaver somniferum L. Garden Poppy 



An erect glaucous herb; leaves clasping, large, oblong, wavy, lobed or 

 toothed; flowers broad, bluish-white with purple centre; filaments somewhat 

 dilated, -capsules smooth. 



Distribution. Native to Asia, but widely naturalized in Europe, and ex- 

 tensively cultivated in China, India, and Smyrna. Occasionally found spon- 

 taneous around gardens in North America. 



Poisonous and medical properties. From the milky exudation that comes 

 from making an incision in the unripe capsule, opium is obtained which yields 

 not less than 5 per cent of crystallized morphin and occasionally as high as 22 

 per cent in Turkey opium, the usual yield being between these two extremes. The 

 chief markets for opium are Turkey, Asia Minor, India, and Egypt, that of 

 Smyrna being considered to be the best although good opium has been grown 

 in the United States. This opium has a sharp, narcotic odor, and a bitter taste. 

 Opium has been a fruitful source of a large number of alkaloids. Fliickiger 

 and Hanbury enumerate the following: "Hydrocotarnin, morphin, pseudomor- 

 phin (C^„H^gN0J2+H.,0, codein, thebain C^gH^^NOg; protopin-, laudanin 

 C^qHjjNO^; codamin, papaverin C^gH^^NG^; rhoeadin, meconidin, cryptopin, 

 laudanosin, narcotin C^„H^,NO„; laiithopin, narcein Cg^H^^NOj^-j-SH^O ; 

 gnoscopin." The most important of these are morphin C^^H^gNOg-fH^O. 

 a colorless or white and shining, odorless substance with a bitter taste; and 

 codein C^ H2j^NO +H.,0, a nearly transparent odorless substance with a faint- 



Fig. 252. Garden Poppy {Papaver sominferum). Flower and 

 capsule. Opium is made from the milky juice exuding from the 

 unripe capsule. (Faueg). 



