FoI
Long-Head Poppy
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Long-Head Poppy
ative Photo: Krishan Lal
Common name: Long-Head Poppy
Botanical name: Papaver dubium    Family: Papaveraceae (Poppy family)
Synonyms: Papaver modestum, Papaver hirtodubium, Papaver obtusifolium

Long-Head Poppy is an annual herb 1-2 ft tall, nearly hairless to hairy or bristly, simple or sparsely branched from below. Latex is usually milky. Leaves are pinnately cut, 7-15 cm long, 2-3 cm broad, segments lobed, usually pointed. Flower buds are ovoid, 7-10 mm long, often looking down. Flowers are 3-5 cm in diameter, at branch ends, on usually 10-20 cm long, bristly stalks. Sepals are 2, dropping off, hairless or bristly, ovoid. Petals are 2-4 cm long, circular-obovate, usually reddish, pinkish or pale scarlet with basal dark blotch or spots, falling off. Stamens are as long as the ovary, anthers broad elliptic, about 1 mm long. Capsule is oblong, narrowed towards the base, 1.5-2.0 cm long, 4-8 mm broad, hairless, usually distinctly ribbed. Seeds are very small, kidney-shaped, minutely netted, usually bluish-black or brownish. Capsule of Common Poppy is almost spherical, with a flat top. Long-Head Poppy is found in Europe, parts of Africa, West Asia, Pakistan and parts of India, particularly Himachal Pradesh. Fl.Per. March June.

Identification credit: Krishan Lal
Photographed in Sirmaur Distt, Himachal Pradesh.
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