Papveraceae

PAPAVERACEAE, THE
POPPY FAMILY
Papaver somniferum, Sanguinaria,
Canadensis
Important Features
• The family is mainly in the Northern Hemisphere with numerous species
in Eastern Asia as well as western North America, including California
• The family is noted for its alkaloids and opiates, which are widely used in
medicine as well as misused as narcotics
• The only edible use of the family is for poppy seed bread and other
pastries, the seeds ironically coming from the opium poppy
• The family is also noted for a plethora of beautiful garden ornamentals
Cont…
• • Besides the stems containing a clear to milky sap, the family is noted for
a wide variety of leaf shapes, including
• • Highly dissected fernlike leaves
• • Spiny, thistle like leaves, and
• • Simple to deeply lobed leaves
• • The plants range from short-lived diminutive annuals to small trees, the
majority being biennials and perennials
an easy-to learn floral formula:
• • Often single, large flowers
• • Sepals that fall off as the flower opens (caducous)
• • Sepals that are half the number of petals, usually 2 sepals with 4 petals
or 3 sepals with 6 petals
• • Mostly numerous stamens with abundant pollen to replace the lack of
nectar for pollinators
• • A compound pistil of several carpels with a superior ovary and single
style
“Typical” genera of Papaveraceae
• The type genus Papaver contains several species such as the famous
opium poppy, P. somniferum
• The fat seed pod of opium poppy with a slit to allow the juice to flow out
and coagulate, later to be processed A popular garden perennial is the so-
called oriental poppy, P. orientale from the Mideast. Numerous stamens
and many stigma crests on top of the ovary.
• This seed pod of oriental poppy is typical of the shape in the genus
Papaver. When ripe, the pod opens by pores that rim the perimeter of the
capsule.
• A popular garden perennial is the so-called oriental poppy, P. orientale
from the Mideast the numerous stamens and many stigma crests on top of
the ovary
Medicinal
• Opium is obtained from the latex of the unripe fruits of Papaver somniferum.
Opium is supposed to contain some 25 alkaloids; the better known are morphine,
codeine, narcotine etc. Opium is a powerful narcotic and is used for addiction.
• Medicinally the alkaloid are quite valuable. Morphine is widely used to relieve pain
as it acts on the sensory cells of the brain and the patient is lulled into an artificial
sleep. Codeine is used in cough syrups as a mild sedative.
• The roots of Sanguinaria canadensis produce bloodroot and are used in rheumatism
and dyspepsia. The seeds of Argemone produce an oil which is used for adulterating
mustard oil. This oil is of course
Affinities of Papaveraceae
• The family Papaveraceae stands very close to Ranunculaceae and

Nymphaeaceae. The morphological structure of flowers of Platystemon
establish a link between Papaveraceae and Nymphaeceae.
• A.C. Joshi observed gynophore formation in some abnormal flowers of
Argemone which may suggests that Papaveraceae has close affinity with
Capparidaceae.
Primitive characters:
• 1. Presence of shrub and tree (Bocconia).
• 2. Leaves simple and alternate.
• 3. Flowers hermaphrodite, hypogynous and actinomorphic.
• 4. Calyx and corolla free.
• 5. Stamens numerous, free and produce abundant pollen.
• 6. Carpels many and loosely united (Platystemon).
• 7. Ovules anatropous and many on each placentum.
Advanced characters:
• 1. Plants are mainly herbs.
• 2. Leaves are deeply incised (Argemone).
• 3. Flower perigynous (Eschscholtzia).
• 4. Calyx gamosepalous (Echscholtzia).
• 5. Gynoecium syncarpous.
Common plants of the family:
• 1. Argemone Mexicana:
• A prickly herb that grows wild on roadside with yellow flowers.
• 2. Papaver somniferum:
• A source of opium.
• 3. Bocconia:
• A tree with apetalous flowers and arillate seeds.
• 4. Sanguinaria:
• It has a thick rhizome, giving off annually one leaf and one flowered scape.
• 5. Meconopsis aculeate:
• A prickly shrub with blue purple flowers.
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PAPAVERACEAE, THE

• The family Papaveraceae stands very close to Ranunculaceae and

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