Flora Medica

PAPAVERACE^:.Nat. syst.ed. 2. p. 7.PAPAVER.Sepals 2, convex, deciduous. Petals 4. Stamens numerous.Style 1. Stigmas 4-20, radiating sessile upon the crown ofthe ovary. Capsule 1 -celled, spheroidal, opening by poresbeneath the lobes of the stigma. Placentae opposite the stigmaticlobes, many-seeded.41. P. Rhceas Linn. sp. pi. 726. Eng. Bot. t. 645. DC.prodr. i. 118. S. and C. i. t. 31. Hedges and corn fields inall parts of Europe.Capsule obovate, smooth. Sepals hairy. Stem many-flowered,somewhat rough, with spreading setae. Leaves pinnatifid, with elongatedslashed toothed acute lobes. The beautiful red petals are employedin the preparation of the " Syrupus Rhceados" of the pharmacopoeia,useful merely as a colouring matter. The plant is not known to benarcotic. Pereira.42. P. somniferum Linn. sp. pi. 726. Lam. ill. t. 451.N. and E. Handb. iii. 446. plant med. t. 404. Woodv.t. 185. Eng. Bot. t. 2145. S. and C. iii.t. 159. P. officinaleN. and E. Handb. iii. 446. PI med. t. 405. Mipw, Dioscorides; otypta,,when the seeds are black; ?)//>?, when the seedsare white. Fields of the Levant, and south of Europe ; cultivatedinmany of the warmer parts of the world.Stem erect, smooth, rather glaucous, 3-4 feet high. Leaves amplexicaul,slashed, repand, with rather blunt teeth. Petals very large, dulldingy pale lilac or white with a deep dull purple spot at their base,or no spot. Capsules obovate or globose, smooth, about the size ofa middling apple, rather hard and brittle, with numerous parietal placentae,covered with kidney-shaped, oily, sweet and eatable seeds. From thewounded half-ripe capsules flows a juice which concretes into opium,the well-known powerful narcotic drug. From the dried capsules thedecoction, syrup and extract of poppies are prepared. Mr. Pereirajustly observes, that these capsules or "heads" would be more active ifgathered before ripeness when : full grown and just when the firstchange of colour is perceptible should be the best time to collect them.The seeds are not narcotic, but yield a bland oil similar to that obtainedfrom olives. I see no ground for considering the P. officinale ofN. and E. any thing beyond a variety of no importance.ARGEMONE.Sepals 2-3, muricated. Petals 3-6. Stamens numerous.Styles scarcely any ; stigmas 4-7, radiating, concave, distinct.Capsule obovate, 1 -celled, opening by valves at the apex, withlinear placentas. Seeds spherical, pitted.15