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Opium Poppy
Papaver somniferum
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An annual herb in the poppy family. Because it is the source of opium, cultivation is prohibited in Japan under the Opium Law. It produces large, showy flowers; latex (opium) is extracted from unripe capsules. Seeds are used for food (poppy seeds) from legally allowed varieties only.
Identification Points
- βWaxy gray-green leaves that clasp the stem
- βLarge 4-petaled flowers in white, red, or purple
- βRound capsule fruit; cutting it releases white latex
Habitat
Cultivation prohibited (except for specific licensed uses)
Season
May to June (flowers)
Morphological TraitsAI-estimated, needs verification
Leaf arrangement
Alternate
Leaf type
Simple
Growth form
Herb
Petal count
4 petals
Habitat
Cultivated
Phylogenetic Positionγ±γ·η§ β
Phylogenetic Position
Angiosperms > Basal eudicots > Ranunculales > Papaveraceae
Divergence Era
Late Cretaceous to Paleogene (approx. 75 million years ago)
Sources & References
πWikipedia ζ₯ζ¬θͺηβ
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AI-generated, needs verification