21 MECONOPSIS WALLICHII. 



worts and the Ranunculus tribe, the carpels of which the fruit is composed are only 

 partially adherent by their inner edges, and separate when ripe. In the genus 

 Jfeconopsis, the departure from the type of the Order is less important, the chief 

 distinction being that the stigmas, instead of being sessile on the ovary, as in 

 Papaver, are borne on a short thickened stylo. 



Most of the plants of this family are of a showy character, and deserve cultivation; 

 all of them, with scarcely one exception, being hardy. Some of the dwarf annual 

 Poppies are very handsome, particularly the species amoznum, from the north of 

 India, with bright verinilion flowers ; and setigerum, a European plant, with white 

 blossoms, deeply stained with purple near the base of the petals. Among the 

 perennial species, orientate is remarkable for its brilliant scarlet flowers ; bracteatum 

 (red) and nudicaule, the yellow [Norway Poppy, are also both desirable plants for 

 the mixed flower border. They are all readily raised from seeds ; and even the 

 perennials will generally flower the first year. 



The prickly Poppies (Argemone) are less commonly grown than they deserve to 

 be, though few plants are more ornamental than the A. grandiflora, where sufficient 

 space can be afforded it. The flowers of this species are pure white, and often 

 four inches across ; the ring of yellow stamens and the purple stigmas, contrast 

 very prettily with the white petals. This fine species is a perennial, but will 

 flower the first season from seed. There are two other species with whitish 

 flowers; Barclay am, also a perennial, but less hardy than grandiflora; and 

 albiflora, which is annual. The only others we have any knowledge of are 

 Mexicana, and ockroleuca, both annuals, with pale yellow flowers ; they all deserve 

 to be grown once at least, and are of the easiest management. 



The Eschscholtzias are too well known to need any description ; and we refer to 

 them only for the purpose of calling the attention of our readers to the new white, 

 or more correctly, cream-coloured variety of E. californica. Its flowers are rather 

 smaller than those of the species, but it is very pretty, especially when grown in 

 contrast with the yellow one. 



The horn -Poppies (Glaucium), so termed in reference to their long seed- vessel, 

 also merit attention, especially the G. fulvum and G. phceniceum, the first with 

 orange, and the last with pvu-ple flowers ; fulvum is strictly speaking a perennial, 

 but is best treated as a hardy annual. 



The Hunnemannia fumariafolia is occasionally found in the Seedsmen's lists. It 

 very much resembles the Esehcholtzia ; but the two sepals are not united into the 

 calyptra-like organ, which is so remarkable a feature in that plant. 



The other genera of the order we must defer to a subsequent occasion ; but before 

 noticing the Meconopsis WaUichii, which has given rise to these remarks, we must 

 spare a line for the Platystemon californicus, and Platystigma lineare. Although 

 pretty, they are less remarkable in an ornamental point of view than for the 



