VII. PAPAV^RACE^. 41- 



1. PAPAVER, Linn. 



(The old Latin name.) 



Sepals 2, rarely 3. Petals 4, rarely 6. Stamens indefinite. Placentas of the 

 ovary 4 or more, covered with ovules and projecting more or less into the cavity, 

 rarely meeting in the centre ; stigmas radiating on the convex or almost conical 

 disk-like summit of the ovary. Capsule opening in transverse pores hetvreen the 

 placentas under the disk, with very short opercular valves. Seeds furrowed. — 

 Herbs with a milky juice. Leaves usually lobed or cut. Peduncles long, the 

 buds nodding. 



Capsule ovoid-oblong, smooth ; stigmatic rays 6 to 8 . . . .... 1. P. horriduvi. 



Capsule subglobose, glabrous ; stigmatic rays 8 to 12 ... . .... 2. P. rhaas. 



1. P. horridum (horrid), DC. Beivth. Flora Austr. i. 63. An erect annual, 

 beset with subulate prickles or stiff bristles, but otherwise glabrous and usually 

 glaucous. Leaves narrow-oblong or lanceolate, irregularly pinnatifid and coarsely 

 toothed, the radical ones contracted into a petiole, the stem ones sessile or 

 partially stem-clasping. Flowers small for the genus, of a pale brick or red 

 colour. Sepals hispid. Petals nearly ovate, about fin. long. Capsule ovoid- 

 oblong, perfectly smooth and glabrous, the terminal disk at first pyramidal, at 

 length nearly flat, usually with 6, 7, or 8 stigmatic rays. Placentas as many, 

 projecting in the cavity but not meeting in the centre. — 7'. r/ariepmum , DC. Bot. 

 Mag. t. 3623. 



Hab.: Southern parts of the colony, also in extratropical South Africa. 



Dr. T. L. Bancroft states that this plant does not contain morphihe, but an active principle 

 quite as poisonous as morphine. 



2. P. '''rhaeas (Greek name for wild poppy), Linn. The common corn poppy. 

 A branching hispid annual. Leaves 1 — 2-pinnatifid, with the lobes more or less 

 cut, ascending, awned. ,Scapes with spreading or appressed hairs. Flowers 3 — 4in. 

 diameter, scarlet, the pairs of petals unequal ; filaments filiform. Stigma 

 convex, rays overlapping, 8 to 12. Capsule subglobose, glabrous. 



Hab.; Only met with as a stray from garden culture. A plant of Europe met with also in 

 W. Asia, N. Africa. 



The petals readily impart their red color to water. The milky juice possesses sedative action. 



2. *ARGEMONE, Linn. 



(Named from supposed medicinal properties.) 



Sepals 2 or 3. Petals 4 — 6. Stamens indefinite. Ovary 1 -celled ; style very 

 short, stigma 4 — 7 lobed ; ovules numerous, on 4 — 7 parietal placentas. Capsule 

 short, dehiscing at the top by short valves thali alternate with the stigmas and 

 placentas. Seeds many. An erect prickly herb ; juice yellow. Flowers yellow 

 or white, showy. 



1. A. mexicana (Mexican), Linn. Figo del Inferno of the Spaniards; 

 prickly poppy. A robust plant almost woody at the base, 2 to 4ft. high, with 

 spreading branches and sessile half-amplexicant sinuate-pinnatifid variegated 

 green and white prickly lea,ves. Flowers 2 or Sin. diameter. Sepals horned art 

 the top. Capsule about lin. long, terete, usually bristly, elliptic or oblong. 



Hab.: An American weed naturalised in many parts of the colony. Some years ago this was 

 the one njet with about Brisbane, but at present tliiie one more generally met with is the variety 



uclirulenca. 



