78 FAMILIAR WILD FLOWERS. 



cross-like form, instead of the circular form that, from 

 the greater breadth of the petals, is seen in the other 

 species of the genus. The red is by no means so intense as 

 in the P. RJtceas, and each petal has ordinarily a rather 

 large and conspicuous dark, almost black, spot at its base. 

 The capsule that succeeds the Hower, and contains the 

 seeds, is long and cylindrical, and has its upper half 

 studded with bristly hairs. The plant will generally 

 be found in flower during the months of May, June, 

 and July. The botanical name of the prickly-headed poppy 

 is Paparer Argemone. The generic name is open to a 

 certain amount of uncertainty. It was first bestowed on 

 the genus by Linna3us, and in many cases the motive 

 that led to the adoption of the various names by the older 

 botanists is now obscure. It has been suggested, however, 

 that the plants were so named because, from a certain 

 narcotic quality that all the poppies, more or less, possess, 

 the seeds were administered in the infantile pap, in Celtic, 

 papa, as a provocative of sleep, while on the other hand, on 

 searching out the derivation of the name of this simple 

 food, we find it suggested that it is called papa, because the 

 thick and milky nature of the preparation is so called from 

 its resemblance to the milk-like juice of the poppy. We 

 have arrived therefore at the unsatisfactory conclusion that 

 poppy derives its name from pap, and that pap derives its 

 name from poppy, and have no clue as to which suggestion 

 should claim priority, although the first derivation seems 

 to be the least unsatisfactory of the two. Another curious 

 instance of the ambiguity that often manifests itself 

 directly we attempt to analyse the meaning of these old 

 terms is seen in the specific name of another member 

 of the genus, the P. Rhceas already referred to. It is 



