Papaver = Latin name for poppy, also "pappa" is the Latin for food or milk, referring to the milky sap of the plant (Latin)
hybridum = hybrid form, genetically mixed species (Latin)
Synonyms:
None
Remarks:
-
Morphology
PLANT STRUCTURE:
Characteristic
Growth Form
Branching
Surface
Description
Erect :
Upright, vertically straight up well clear off the ground.
Basal Branching :
Branches are mostly present at the basal part of the stem.
Hispid :
Having stiff, bristly hairs but not spiny.
General Picture
LEAVES:
Characteristic
Arrangement
Attachment
Venation
Description
Alternate :
Growing at different positions along the stem axis.
Stalked / Petiolate :
Hanging out by a slender leaf-stalk.
None :
No prominent venation visible.
General Picture
Characteristic
Leaf Shape
Leaf Margin
Remarks
Description
Multi Pinnate / Pinnatifid :
Compound arrangement of many small, narrow branching and sub-branching leaflets or leaf-lobes which however are not separated into distinct leaflets.
Entire :
Smooth margin without indentations, lobes or any projections.
General Picture
FLOWERS:
Characteristic
Colour
Basic Flower Type
No. of Petals
No. of Sepals
Description
Crimson Red
Polypetalous to Bowl-shaped:
Having separate, free petals. Sometimes petals are half erect to form a flower with a bowl-like structure.
4
2
General Picture
Characteristic
Inflorescence
Description
Ovary
Stamens
Description
Single and Terminal :
Single, solitary flower at the apex of the stem or flower branch.
Flower is made up of 4 crimson-red, petals with a black spot at its base. The petals do not overlap each other. There is a central globular ovary with numerous indigo or pale blue stamens at its periphery. The 2 hairy sepals fall off when flower opens up.
Superior :
Ovary situated above the flower parts (the calyx, corolla, and androecium). In other words, these are attached below the ovary.
50-100+, Annular Cluster :
A cluster of stamens in the form of a ring, often encircling the gynoecium.
General Picture
Characteristic
Scent
Average Flower Size
Pollen Colour
Other Notes
Description
None
18-30mm
Indigo to Pale Blue
Pollen colour is very contrasting with the flower.
-
SEEDS:
Characteristic
No. Per Fruit
Shape
Size
Colour
Description
>200
Numerous tiny seeds which ther quantity varies according to the fruit size.
Reniform
Small, kidney-shaped seeds; rather swollen.
Not more from 1mm
Dark gray
General Picture
FRUIT AND OTHER BOTANICAL DATA:
Characteristic
Fruit Type
Colour of Fruit
Subterranean Parts
Other Notes
Description
Indehiscent Operculate Poricidal Capsule :
A fruit having the shape of a pot with a lid (operculum). It stores large number of seeds that escapes from small pores or slits in the lid (at the upper part of the fruit).
Dark Green
(turns brown when fully ripe).
Taproot :
A rooting system where there is the main descending root of a plant having a single dominant large structure from which a network of smaller and long roots emerge.
-
General Picture
Specifications & Description
Life Cycle:
Annual.
Habitat:
Fields, waysides, weedy waste-ground.
Frequency:
Common
Localities in Malta:
Found in few scattered numbers in several fields such as in Mistra, Pieta', Qormi and Bahrija.
Like most poppies, the rough poppy is an erect annual plant with large bright coloured, single, terminal flowers. The name rough comes from the fact that the seed capsule possess white stiff bristles. Those of the calyx are not so stiff, while those of the stem and leaves further more soft. The main stem branches into few stems at the lower part of the plant and give rise to one single flower.
The leaves are mulit pinnately lobed (pinnatifid) and can reach up to 10cm in length, but normally they are about 6-7 cm. Leaves grow alternately along stem and have have little hair.
The flower bud has an upside-down peduncle and made up of 2 bristly sepals. On blossoming, the flower takes an erect position and the sepals falls. The corolla is rather small (2-5cm) in comparison to other wild poppy flowers and consists of 4 crimson-red petals with a dark purple-black blob at the base. The petals are relatively narrow and rarely overlap when fully mature. A distinctive feature of this poppy is the indigo or pale blue colour of the numerous anthers around the central ovary (carpel). The ovary have about 6 to 8 radiating striped stigmas at the top usually coloured in indigo or violet.
The seed-pod is globular or slightly oval in shape and is covered with stiff bristles. When it dries it forms a indehisicate operculate (having a lid structure) capsule which holds many tiny kidney-shaped seeds which escape out through tiny slits in the upper part of the capsule (at the 'lid') when the stem sways with wind.
Information and Details
Personal Observations
The plant can be mistaken with a similar poppy species - the Papaver argemone. It also have hair and forms a rather small flower. The main differences is that P. argemone have a scarlet red flowers (instead crimson) and more important, the see photoseed capsule is well elongated (rather than spherical) and less bristly .[SM]
The petals of the plant are very fragile, and they drop off with little stress such as by wind or light shaking of the stem. It is more successful to find the flowers in the morning, just after blossoming, rather in the afternoon since the wind currents during the day may cause the petals to fall. In fact it is useless to cut these flowers to study them at the Lab or studio, because the petals will drop off during cutting or while transporting . [SM]
This poppy is not common in Malta and is rarely found growing on its own. However there is a good chance to be found amongst other common poppies (namely P. rhoeas ) since usually it will be present in mixed communities of poppies. [SM]
Not much more information (such as uses) has been found about this plant both on books and on the internet. If you can supply further info please email me and I will included it in, and give you full credits.
Photo Gallery
IMAGE: PPVHY-01 Photo of flower having non overlapping crimson/red petals.
IMAGE: PPVHY-02 Close up photo of flower showing the anthers striped white and light blue and held by upright by purple/black filaments.
IMAGE: PPVHY-03 Photo of flower showing cluster of blue stamens around a central pot-shaped ovary with dark purple stigma on top.
IMAGE: PPVHY-04 Photo of a typical young flower.
IMAGE: PPVHY-05 Photo of flower and the spherical capsule and bud, both covered with bristles.
IMAGE: PPVHY-06 Photo of a young flower with petals still overlapping at their lower half.
IMAGE: PPVHY-07 Photo of adult flower with nearly non overlapping petals.
IMAGE: PPVHY-08 Photo of flower, this one being more crimson in colour.
IMAGE: PPVHY-09 Close up photo of the cluster of stamens with their characteristicalpale blue anthers.
IMAGE: PPVHY-10 Scanned image of a dissected flower showing the pale blue/indigo anthers on dark purple filaments. Bristles also present on ovary during the flower stage.
IMAGE: PPVHY-11 Crimson red petals (21mm length) with a black, rather small spot at the base of the petal.
IMAGE: PPVHY-12 Photo of whole plant in situ.
IMAGE: PPVHY-13 Photo of plant in situ showing the bristly bud and seed capsule.
IMAGE: PPVHY-14 Photo of a solitary plant in situ showing leaves, stem and a flower.
IMAGE: PPVHY-15 Scanned image of plant.
IMAGE: PPVHY-16 Scanned image of multi-pinnate leaf.
IMAGE: PPVHY-17 Scanned image of a seed capsule and a bud. The seed-pod bristles are more stiff and slightly larger.
IMAGE: PPVHY-18 Close up photo of fruit which is an operculate poricidal capsule. Unlike the common poppy (Papaver rhoeas), the fruit is covered with stiff pointed bristles.
IMAGE: PPVHY-19 Close up photo of fruit capsule in situ. This have an interesting violet stigma.
IMAGE: PPVHY-20 Close up photo of the pinnatifid leaves in situ. Leaves are often found at the branching of the stem.
IMAGE: PPVHY-21 Close up photo of leaves and buds in situ. Note the black tips of the leaf lobes.
IMAGE: PPVHY-22 Photo of image of seeds under microscope. Note the texture of the seed coat.
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