112 
NAT. ORDER. PAPAVERACE^. 
Indies, Sandwich Islands, &c. It is called by the Spaniards in 
Mexico, Figo del Inferno, or Devil's Fig. In the West Indies it is 
called Yellow Thistle. 
Argemone albijiora. White-flowered Mexican Poppy. This plant 
is but little known, being an inhabitant of the extreme southern 
part of Mexico, and as yet found in no other country. The leaves 
are sessile, feather-nerved ; the petals are usually only three ; flowers 
white, emitting a fragrant and pleasant odor. The natives of that 
country adorn their heads with these flowers at their celebrations 
and dances. 
Aygemone ochrobcuca. Cream-flowered Mexican Poppy. The 
leaves of this plant are profoundly sinuated or pinnatified, glauces- 
cent ; nerves with prickly bristles ; flowers solitary ; stamens few ; 
capsules oblong, deeply five or six furrowed, covered with some- 
what reflexed prickles ; stigmas five or six, distinct, spreading, and 
purple. It is a native of Mexico, but is found growing in Georgia 
and Carolina. There is a variety with pale yellow flow^ers ; calyx 
of the three sepals ; petals six, crenated ; stem prickly. 
Argemone gi-andijiora. Great-flowered Mexican Poppy. This 
plant has leaves sinuated, smooth, spring-toothed ; the nerves are 
unarmed ; the flowers panicled, polyandrous ; the calyx smooth ; 
capsules quadrangular, and almost unarmed ; flowers large and 
white ; stigmas four, with as many pale-blue pits ; anthers yellow. 
These plants raised from seed will not flower till October ; but when 
the roots have existed through the winter, they will flower early in 
the summer. 
Propagation and Culture. Argemone is a genus of beautiful, 
hardy annuals, and should be sown in the open flower-borders 
about the end of March or the beginning of April; or the rarer 
kinds may be sown on a hot-bed, and afterwards planted out into 
the borders. 
Medical Properties and Uses. Every one knows what narcotic 
properties are possessed by the Poppy, and this character prevail;* 
