Papaver rhoeas (PROSEA)

Plant Resources of South-East Asia Introduction

List of species

Papaver rhoeas L.

Protologue: Sp. pl. 1: 507 (1753).

Vernacular names

• Corn poppy, red poppy (En). Pavot, pavot rouge, coquelicot (Fr)
• Vietnam: hồng anh.

Distribution

The origin of P. rhoeas is still unknown. Nowadays, it is common all over Europe, mainly along country roads and on wasteland. It is sometimes grown as an ornamental in the Malesian region.

Uses

In the Malesian region, the flowers are used for their mild sedative, antitussive, anodyne and sudorific properties.

Observations

An erect annual herb, 30-80 cm tall; medium and superior leaves petioled or sessile from a narrowed, non-amplexicaul base, deeply pinnatipartite-bipinnatipartite, pale green, hispid; pedicel usually with patent to erecto-patent, but sometimes appressed bristles, petals 3-5 cm long, bright or pale red to bluish, occasionally white-margined or entirely white, often with a black basal blotch, flowers sometimes double, filaments not widened at the top, stigma broader than top of fruit, stigmatic rays mostly 8-13, black-purple; fruit campanulate; seeds dark brown.

Selected sources

97, 193, 287, 376, 931, 1126.

Authors

Khozirah Shaari & M. Brink