MECONOPSIS 173 



MECONOP'SIS continued. 



M. puni'cea. Another remarkable species, dis- 

 covered and introduced at the same time as 

 the before-mentioned plant It was found 

 growing in " damp meadows, amid grass and 

 low shrubs, shaded from the rays of the sun, 

 at an altitude of 11,500 to 12,500 ft. in the 

 N.-W. corner of Szechuen." The flowers are 

 dark scarlet, solitary, and nodding, and are 

 borne on stalks 18 ins. to 2 ft. high. 



M. nepalen'sis, The Nepaul Poppy. An erect 

 pyramidal plant, 3 ft. high, having fine large 

 golden flowers, 2 or 3 ins. across. Favours a 

 cool, peaty soil. Native of the Himalaya, 

 1866. 



M. simplicifo'lia, The Sikkim Poppy, about 1 ft. 

 high, has long narrow leaves with a central 

 stalk carrying one large violet-coloured flower. 

 Native of India, 1855 



M. Wallich'i, Wallich's Blue Poppy. One of the 

 finest of this group, rises 4 ft. or more in a 

 stately pyramid of true blue drooping flowers, 

 which open in June, slowly expanding from 

 the bottom upwards, and by the time the top- 

 most are open the lowest have ripened their 

 seed. The leaves are 12 ins. or more in length, 

 and form a rosette round the base of the 

 flower stem. 



There is still something to learn in the cultiva- 

 tion of these lovely Poppy worts, while the recently 



