316 POLYANDRIA MONOGYNIA 



Root perennial, fusiform. Stem about 2 feet high, branched, somewhat pilose. 

 Leaves 3 to 5 inches-long, pinnately dissected; leaflets, or segments, mostly 3, 

 crenately incised, smoothish, peUolale, decurrent, and often continent at the mid- 

 rib, the lateral ones more or less ovate, the terminal one cuneate-obovate, often 

 3-lobcd. Peduncles 2 to 3 or 4 inches long, solitary, axillary, or opposite tho 

 leaves; pedicels 1 to 6 or 8, about an inch long, in an umbel terminating the com- 

 mon peduncle, with small involucrate bracts at base. Si pals subovate, concave, 

 somewhat pilose externally, caducous. Petals yellow. Cajmilcs about an inch 

 long, narrow, subllnear, toruloso. 



Bab. Fence-rows ; among rubbish, &.c. frequent. Fl. May. Fr. July. 



Obs. A naturalized foreigner. The orange-colored juice of the plant is a popu- 

 lar, and very innocent, application to warts, tetters, «kc. The only species in the 

 U. States,— if not the only one oi the genus. 



248. ARGEMONE. L. Mitt. Gen. 462. 



[Greek, Argcma,^ disease of the eye ; supposed to be relieved by this plant] 



Calyx of 3 cucullate aculeate caducous sepals. Petals 4 to fi. Ova* 

 ry elliptic-ovoid, aculeate ; stigma subsessile, 4 to 7-lobed, lobes radi- 

 ately reflcxed, persistent. Capsule obovoid-elliptic, spinose, 1-celled, 

 5-valved ; valves opening at the apex. Seeds spherical. 



Herbaceous : with a yellowish sap; leaves alternate, pinnatifid, and spinose ; 

 flowers solitary, terminal and axillary. Nat. Ord, 4. Lindl. Papavekack^. 



1. A. mexicaxa, L. Leaves sessile, obovatc-ohlono;, sinuate-pinnati- 

 fid ; segments angulatc-dentate, spinose. Beck, Hot. p. 21. 



Mexican Augexone. Vulgo — Prickly Poppy, 



Root annual. Stem about 2 feet high, branching, smooth and somewhat glaucows, 

 armed with slender prickles. Leaves 3 to 5 inches long, and an inch and a half 

 to 3 inches wide, sessile and somewhat amplexicaul, smooth, glaucous beneath, 

 and along the nerves above; lobes angulate, and sinuate-dentate, with sharp spi- 

 nose acuminations which appear to be formed by the involution of the margins ; 

 midrib and nerves aculeate. Flowers on leafy peduncles, or branchea Srpals 

 oral, concave, aculeate, each with a cucullate production near tlo: apex which 

 terminates in a sharp stout spine. Petals mostl) 6, yellow, about an inch long, 

 broadly ovate and obtuse, cuneate at base. Stamens about as long as the ovary. 

 Stylevery short; stigma mostly 3-lobed ; lobes reflected, obovate, concave, obtuse- 

 ly margined. Capsule an inch ami a half to 2 inches long, and nearly an inch in 

 diameter, spinose, opening at apex with 5 valves. Seeds numerous, globose, mu- 

 cronate, reticub'te. 



Uab. Gardens, and cultivated lots: not very common. FL June. Fr. Aug.— Sept. 



06s. This plant has become partially naturalized ; but docs not seem to extend 

 itself rapidly. It is the only recognized species of the genus ;— (Hough there is a 

 white -flowered one in the South, which Mr. Elliott thought might prove to be spc- 

 cifically distinct. 



249. PAPAVER. L. .Yutt. Gen. 4f>3. 

 [Celtic, Papa, pap; from its being added to the food of children, to induce sleep.] 



Calyx of 2 concave caducous sepals. Petals 4. Stigma sessile, ra- 

 diaffe, persistent. Capsule obovoid, 1-celled, opening by minute valves 

 under the margin of the stigma. Seeds on receptacles which form 

 incomplete dissepiments. 



