8 
milky juice. Leaves alternate, more or less divided. Peduncles 1 -flowered; fiowci's 
never blue. 
Anomalies. — Bocconia has no petals, and a monospermous capsule. Macleaya has 3 or 
even 4 cotyledons (Bernh.) Eschscholtzia has perigynous stamens. 
Affinities . The siliquose-fruited genera, such as Glaucium and Eschscholt- 
zia, have been supposed to indicate the near affinity of this order to Cruciferae ; 
but the totally different structure of their seeds is such as to neutralize what 
little affinity may be indicated by the form of the fruit. Through Papaver the 
order approaches Nymphseacese, and through Sanguinaria Podophyllese, from all 
which it is distinguished with facility. To Cistacese an unexpected relation- 
ship has been estabhshed by the discovery of Dendromecon. The greatest 
affinity is, however, with Ranunculacese, from which it is sometimes extremely 
difficult to know this order, without ascertaining that the juice is milky and 
narcotic. Platystemon is the connecting link between the two orders. Bem- 
hardi indeed denies that true Papaveracese are universally lactescent plants, 
and he quotes Hunnemanna, Eschscholtzia, and Glaucium, as instances to the 
contrary ; but in reality they are aU furnished with milk, as every gardener well 
knows. The anomahes in the order are of little importance, with the excep- 
tion of Eschscholtzia, which has its stamens arising from the throat of a flatly 
campanulate calyx, instead of being hypogynous. A comparison of the struc- 
ture of Papaveracese and Cruciferee, by Mirbel, is to be found in the Ann. des 
Sc. 6. 266. 
Geography. Europe, in aU directions, is the principal seat of Papaver- 
acese, almost two-thirds of the whole order being found in it. Two species 
only are, according to De Candolle, peculiar to Siberia, three to China and 
Japan, one to the Cape of Good Hope, one to New Holland, and six to Tro- 
pical America. Several are found in North America, beyond the tropic ; and 
it is probable that the order will yet receive many additions from that re- 
gion. Most of them are annuals. The perennials are chiefly natives of moun- 
tainous tracts. 
Properties, Every one knows what narcotic properties are possessed by 
the poppy, and this character prevails generally in the order. The seed is 
universally oily, and generally in no degree narcotic. The oil obtained from 
the seeds of Papaver somniferum is found to be perfectly wholesome, and is, in 
fact, consumed on the continent in considerable quantity. It is also employed 
extensively for adulterating olive oil. Its use was at one time prohibited in 
France by decrees issued in compliance with popular clamour ; but it is now 
openly sold, the government and people having both grown wiser. See Ed. 
P. J. 2. 17. Meconopsis napalensis, a Nipal Plant, is described as being ex- 
tremely poisonous, especially its roots. Don. Prodr. 98. The Sangmnaria 
canadensis, or Puccoon, is emetic and purgative in large doses, and in smaller 
quantities is stimulant, diaphoretic, and expectorant. Barton, 1 37. The 
seeds of Argemone Mexicana are however said to be narcotic, especially if 
smoked with tobacco. Gardener s Mag. 6. 315. They are used in the West 
Indies as a substitute for ipecacuanha ; and the juice is considered by the na- 
tive doctors of India as a valuable remedy in ophthalmia, dropt into the eye 
and over the tarsus ; also as a good application to chancres. It is pur- 
gative and deobstruent. Ainslie, 2. 43. The Brazilians administer the 
juice of this plant, their Cardo santo, to persons or animals bitten by serpents, 
but, it would appear, without much success. Prince Max. Trav. 214. The 
narcotic principle of opium is an alkahne substance, called Morphia. The same 
drug contains a peculiar acid, called the Meconic ; and a vegetable alkali, named 
Narcotine, to which the unpleasant stimulating properties are attributed by 
Magendie, Tm'ner, 647. 
