200 The Thistle Poppies. 



thrcc-fourtli.s times as long as the second, tapering gradually to the 

 ti]), the a])ieal ])orti()n not bristle-like. Proboscis reaches apex of 

 .second antennal joint. Pile and tomentum of occiput, thorax and 

 scutellum yellowish-white, bristles of the two latter black. Tomen- 

 tum of abdomen white, that at the base yellowish, a transverse 

 spot of black tomentum each side of the middle on bases of the sec- 

 ond, third and fourth segments; tomentum of venter, femora and 

 tibia' white, that on front side of anterior and middle femora partly 

 black; spines of tibi.-e black; hind femora in the male each with three 

 stout black l)ristles on the under side near the base; tomentum of 

 tarsi black. Wings wholly hyaline, vein at apex of discal cell evenly 

 curved and destitute of a sttmip of a vein; small crossvein at last 

 third of the discal cell. Stalk of halteres 3'ellov\'ish-brown, the knob 

 sulphur-yellow. Length, 5 to 11 mm. San Diego covmty, Cal- 

 ifornia. 6 male and 11 female specimens, in May. 



D. W. Coquillett. 



THE THISTLE POPPIES. 



(From the American (lariliii, \\\.hi.) 



The Pajjaveraccje or Poppy famih- furnishes man\' beautiful 

 flowers for us to cidtivate and admire. The order includes near 

 twenty genera, of which nine or ten are represented in California. 

 Among these genera is Argemone, a genus of some six or eight 

 species of free-flowering liorder plants, with large, show\', ^vhite or 

 yellow short-pedicelled flowers. Thev are stout, glaucescent hardy 

 annuals, with sinuately pinnatifled, prickly-toothed leaves, from 

 which they have become known as thistle-poppies. 



Argemone grandiflora is described as 'growing two feet in 

 height, and producing numerous large white flowers.' 



Argemone Mexicana, a native of Texas and Mexico, grows to 

 about the same height, and produces conspicuous yellow flowers in 

 profusion. Asa weed, this plant 'has spread to almost all warm 

 countries,' but 1 believe it has not as A^et been recorded from Cali- 

 fornia. The leaves are lilotched with white and less hispid than in 

 the following species. 



Argemone hispida, the chicalote or thistle poppy of Southern 

 California, in the beautA^ of its flowers almost rivals the magnificent 

 Romneya Coulteri. It forms an erect branching bush, one to three 

 feet or more in height, producing a profusion of its large, pure white 

 flowers, closely set among ])ale green, bri.stly-armed leaves. 



The large white flowers render it very conspicuous on a lawn, 

 by day or night, but the delicate texture of its petals, and unpleas- 



