The Botanical Magazine/Volume 2/57

by William Curtis

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[57] Papaver Orientale. Eastern Poppy.

Class and Order.

Polyandria Monogynia.

Generic Character.

Cor. 4-petala. Cal. 2-phyllus. Capsula, 1-locularis sub stigmate persistente poris dehiscens.

Specific Character and Synonyms.

PAPAVER orientale capsulis glabris, caulibus unifloris scabris foliosis pinnatis serratis. Linn. Syst. Vegetab. p. 490.

Papaver orientale hirsutissimum, magno flore. Tournes. cor. 17. itin. 3. p. 127. t. 127.

N^o57

Most of the plants of this tribe are distinguished by the splendour of their colours, most of them also are annuals, in gaiety of colour none exceed the present species; but it differs in the latter character, in having not only a perennial root, but one of the creeping kind, whereby it increases very much, and by which it is most readily propagated.

Though a native of the East, as its name imports, it bears the severity of our climate without injury, flowers in May, and as its blossoms are extremely shewy, it gives great brilliancy to the flower-garden or plantation; prefers a dry soil.