Colorado Agricultural College 
12. POPPY FAMILY 
{P ap aver ace ae) 
Ovary 1-celled; fruit a capsule usually splitting open by a 
pore or by valves; seeds numerous, often crested (tufted) ; embryo 
very small and located at the base of the endosperm. 
Prickly Poppy, Thistle Poppy 
1. {Argcmone L.) 
Capsule oblong, prickly, open 
ing at the top by 4-6 valves; seeds 
numerous, pitted and usually 
crested; endosperm oily. 
White Peickly Poppy {Argem- 
one intermedia Sweet) (Fig. 71). — 
Seeds blackish-brown in color, oily, 
shiny, roughened owing to numerous 
shallow pits connected by a network 
of fine ridges; the wing-like ridge 
on one side is more prominent at 
the extremities ; seeds nearly spheri- 
cal, 1. 5-2.5 mm. in diameter. 
Fig. 71. White Prickly Poppy (Ar- 
gemone intermedia). A. Top view. B. 
Bottom view, x 11!. 
13. MUSTARD FAMILY 
(Brassicaceae Lind., Cruciferae B. Juss.) 
Ovary 2-celled, rarely 1-celled; fruit a capsule, usually split- 
ting open at maturity; seeds generally so curved that the apex and 
base are brought nearly together; endosperm absent; embryo is 
usually large, filling the seed. 
Key to Genera 
Seeds spherical except Brassica alba 
1 . . Brassica 
Seeds not spherical 
Seeds flat (except Lepidium campestre) 
Seeds with a single groove running nearly the length of the seed 2. .Lepidium 
Seeds with a number of circular grooves or concentric 
circles converging at the hilum 3..Thlas2ii 
Seeds not flat 
Seeds conical to cylindrical in shape, circular in cross-section 
Seeds 1.5-2. 5 mm. long 
Seeds tawny color 
Seeds auburn color 
Seeds .6-1.3 mm. long 
Seeds oblong 
Seeds broadly oval to irregularly circular in 
Seeds slightly oval in cross-section 
i . .Camelina, 
5 . . Conringia 
Sisymbrium 
cross-section. ... 7. . Raphanus 
S . .B ursa 
1. Mustard 
( Brassica ( Tourn . ) L.) 
Pods either long, slender, or thick, nearly circular in outline or 4-sided; 
seeds mostly spherical, roughened or smooth ; cotyledons of the seed folded 
together lengthwise. 
