UW Burke Herbarium species comparison

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Papaver somniferum

Papaver rhoeas

opium poppy

corn poppy
Habit Glaucous annual, the usually simple stems 3-10 dm. tall, glabrous below. Annual with stiff, bristly hairs, the branching stems 3-7 dm. tall.
Leaves

Leaves alternate, sessile and cordate-clasping, shallowly lobed, the lobes toothed, the margins somewhat crinkly.

Leaves alternate, basal and cauline, petiolate, the blades pinnately lobed or incised to divided.
Flowers

Flowers single on long, bristly, terminal peduncles;

sepals 2, separately early-deciduous;

petals 4, white to purple, large, wavy-margined;

stamens numerous;

style absent, stigma sessile, disk-like, with 5-15 round, stigmatic ridges.

Flowers single on long, bristly, terminal and axillary peduncles;

sepals 2, separately early-deciduous;

petals 4, 5-7 cm. long, usually scarlet with a black, basal or central blotch;

stamens numerous;

style absent, stigma sessile, disk-like, with 5-15 round, stigmatic ridges.
Fruits

Capsule glabrous, sub-globose, 2.5-5 cm. long.

Capsule glabrous, sub-globose to broadly obovoid, 10-15 mm. long.

Papaver somniferum

Papaver rhoeas
Flowering time May-July May-July
Habitat Waste areas, roadsides, and other disturbed areas. Fields, roadsides, wastelots, and other disturbed areas.
Distribution
Occurring on both sides of the Cascades crest in Washington; British Columbia to California, east across various parts of North America to the Atlantic Coast.
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Occurring on both sides of the Cascades crest in Washington; Alaska to California, east across much of North America to the Atlantic Coast.
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Origin Introduced from Eurasia Introduced from Eurasia
Conservation status Not of concern Not of concern
Sibling taxa
P. argemone, P. dubium, P. rhoeas
P. argemone, P. dubium, P. somniferum
Web links 
Unless otherwise noted, all data comes from the University of Washington's Burke Herbarium.



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