18 TttE POPfY FAMILY. 



Australia, and introduced as weeds of cultivation into other parts of 



the world. 



tyant glabrous and glaucous. Leaves toothed or slightly lobed, 



clasping the stem at their base 1. P. somntferum. 



Plant green, usually with stiff hairs. Leaves once or twice pin- 



natiftdly divided. 

 Capsule glabrous. 



Capsule globular 2. P. Rhceat. 



Capsule oblong 3. P. dubium. 



Capsule more or less hispid With stiff hairs or bristles. 



Capsule nearly globular. Bristles numerous and spreading . 4. P. hybridum. 

 Capsule oblong or obovid. Bristles few and erect . . 6. P. Argemone. 



The yellow-flowered P. nudicaule, from the mountains of northern 

 and central Europe and Asia, is much cultivated in our gardens. 



1. P. somniferum, Linn. (fig. 36). Opium P. An erect annual, of 

 a glaucous green, glabrous, or with a few hairs on the peduncle, scarcely 

 branched, about 2 feet high or more. Leaves clasping the stem by 

 their cordate base, oblong, irregularly toothed, and slightly sinuate or 

 lobed. Flowers large, usually of a bluish white, with a purple base. 

 Filaments slightly dilated at the top. Capsule large, globular, and 

 glabrous. 



A native of southern Europe and the Levant, but much cultivated in 

 European gardens, and occasionally establishes itself in waste places. 

 In Britain it assumes the appearance of a wild plant in several parts of 

 England, especially near the sea, and in the fens of the eastern counties. 



\Fl. summer. It supplies Opium and Poppy heads, and in our gardens 

 varies much in the colour of the flowers, which are often very double. 



2. P. Rhceas, Linn. (fig. 37). Field P. An erect, branched annual, 

 1 to 2 feet high, with stiff spreading hairs or bristles. Lower leaves 

 large, stalked, once or twice pinnately divided, the lobes lanceolate, 

 pointed, and more or less cut. Flowers large, of a rich scarlet, with a 

 dark eye, the filaments of the stamens not dilated. Capsule perfectly 

 smooth, globular, or slightly top-shaped, with 8 to 12 stigmatic rays. 



In waste and cultivated places, in central and southern Europe and 

 western Asia, rare in the north. Abundant in cornfields in England 

 and Ireland, less so in Scotland, and scarce in the Highlands. -Fl. all 

 summer. Double-flowering varieties are often cultivated. 



3. P. dubium, Linn, (fig. 38). Long-headed P. Very near P. Rhceas, 

 but generally smaller and more slender, the leaves more cut, with 

 narrower lobes, the hairs less spreading, and the flowers rather smaller. 

 It is more essentially distinguished by the capsule, which is oblong, 

 often twice as long as broad, and narrowed at the base. 



In waste and cultivated places in Europe and western Asia, extend- 

 ing further north than P. Rhoeas, but not so generally common. In 

 England and Ireland less frequent, but in Scotland more so than P. 

 Rhoeas. Fl. summer. [The sap varies in colour, white in true dubium, 

 and yellow in a variety or species called Lecoqii, Lamotte.] 



4. P. hybridum, Linn. (fig. 39). Rough P. Nearly as tall as P. 

 Rhoeas, but generally less branched, the leaves smaller, with stiff er and 

 shorter segments, the hairs few and short. Flowers smaller, of a 

 purplish red, usually with a dark spot in the centre. Filaments of the 

 stamens dilated from the middle upwards. Capsule nearly globular, 

 covered with stiff spreading bristles a little turned upwards at their 

 points ; rays 1 to 8. 



