Flora of North America species comparison

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Papaver rhoeas

Papaver somniferum

amapola, common poppy, coquelicot, corn poppy, field poppy, flanders poppy

common garden poppy, common poppy, opium poppy, pavot (commun)
Habit Plants to 8 dm, hispid to setulose. Plants to 15 dm, glabrate, glaucous.
Stems

simple or usually branching.

simple or branching.
Leaves

to 15 cm;

distal often somewhat clustered.

to 30 cm;

blade sometimes sparsely setose abaxially on midrib;

margins usually shallowly to deeply toothed.
Inflorescences

peduncle sparsely to moderately spreading-hispid throughout.

peduncle often sparsely setose.
Flowers

petals white, pink, orange, or red, often with dark basal spot, to 3.5 cm;

anthers bluish;

stigmas 5-18, disc ± flat.

petals white, pink, red, or purple, often with dark or pale basal spot, to 6 cm;

anthers pale yellow;

stigmas 5-18, disc ± flat.
Capsules

sessile or substipitate, turbinate to subglobose, obscurely ribbed, to 2 cm, less than 2 times longer than broad.

stipitate, subglobose, not ribbed, to 9 cm, glaucous.

Papaver rhoeas

Papaver somniferum
Phenology Flowering spring–summer. Flowering spring–summer.
Habitat Fields, pastures, stream banks, railroads, roadsides, and other disturbed sites Fields, clearings, stream banks, railroads, roadsides, and other disturbed sites
Elevation 0-2000 m [0-6600 ft] 0-1300 m [0-4300 ft]
Distribution
from FNA
AK; CA; CT; DC; IA; ID; IL; LA; MA; MD; ME; MI; MN; MO; MT; NC; NH; NJ; NM; NY; OH; OR; PA; RI; TX; UT; VA; VT; WA; WV; MB; NB; NS; ON; QC; SK; Europe; sw Asia; n Africa [Introduced in North America]
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AZ; CA; CT; IL; MA; ME; MI; MN; MO; NC; ND; NH; NJ; NM; NY; OH; OR; PA; TX; UT; VA; VT; AB; BC; MB; NB; NF; NS; ON; QC; SK; Greenland; Europe; Asia [Introduced in North America]
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

J. W. Kadereit (1990) suggested that Papaver rhoeas originated on the east coast of the Mediterranean, probably derived from one or more of the other species of the section that are native in that region, and only after (and because) "suitable habitats in sufficient extent were provided by man." Various forms with pale pink or white, unspotted, sometimes doubled petals are grown for ornament, notably the Shirley poppies. In North America, the species escapes from cultivation fairly readily and has been introduced also as a crop weed.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Unknown in the wild, Papaver somniferum probably came originally from southeastern Europe and/or southwestern Asia. It has been cultivated for centuries as the source of opium (and its modern derivatives heroin, morphine, and codeine), and also for edible seeds and oil. Various color forms with laciniate and/or doubled petals are grown for ornament. Widely introduced from cultivation and also as a crop weed, it should be expected elsewhere in the flora.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Source FNA vol. 3. FNA vol. 3.
Parent taxa Papaveraceae > Papaver > sect. Rhoeadium Papaveraceae > Papaver > sect. Papaver
Sibling taxa
P. alboroseum, P. argemone, P. californicum, P. dubium, P. gorodkovii, P. hybridum, P. lapponicum, P. macounii, P. mcconnellii, P. nudicaule, P. orientale, P. pygmaeum, P. radicatum, P. somniferum, P. walpolei
P. alboroseum, P. argemone, P. californicum, P. dubium, P. gorodkovii, P. hybridum, P. lapponicum, P. macounii, P. mcconnellii, P. nudicaule, P. orientale, P. pygmaeum, P. radicatum, P. rhoeas, P. walpolei
Name authority Linnaeus: Sp. Pl. 1: 507. (1753) Linnaeus: Sp. Pl. 1: 508. (1753)
Web links 
Unless otherwise noted, all data comes from the online version of the Flora of North America, who have made most of their content available via a Creative Commons license (CC BY 4.0).



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