Poppy or Meconopsis?

Discussion in 'Plants: Identification' started by beautifulbotany, Mar 22, 2006.

  1. beautifulbotany

    beautifulbotany Member

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    I photographed this plant in British Columbia in May several years ago and it's
    been lying in a "needs an i.d." box ever since. I think it's either Meconopsis or
    Papaver, but can't locate it in my reference books. Any thoughts?
     

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  2. Ralph Walton

    Ralph Walton Active Member 10 Years

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    I'll go with papaver somniferum.

    Ralph
     
  3. Ron B

    Ron B Paragon of Plants 10 Years

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    Papaver rhoeas or similarly built one. Without flowers you will have trouble being sure. P. somniferum has a single main stalk like with lettucelike, bloomy, clammy, not esp. hairy leaves all the way up; the flowers are borne on comparatively short stems together at the top of the main stalk.
     
  4. beautifulbotany

    beautifulbotany Member

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    No, it's not either one of those. I've photographed lots of corn poppy (P. rhoeas) and opium poppy (P. somniferum). This has a more rigid stem and the flowers are small and nodding.
     
  5. Ron B

    Ron B Paragon of Plants 10 Years

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    Like I said, "or a similarly built one." What do the flowers look like? If they are orange then it would be one of the P. atlanticum types (several similar species are cultivated).
     
  6. beautifulbotany

    beautifulbotany Member

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    Well, a sharp-eyed horticulturist at Annie's Annuals in Calif. pointed
    out that there are two plants in the picture, a budded poppy of some
    kind in front and behind it -- the one I was hoping to i.d. -- is water
    avens, Geum rivale. I hadn't heard of it but looked it up and confirmed
    that that's what it is. Thanks to all.
     
  7. Ron B

    Ron B Paragon of Plants 10 Years

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    Well, I wondered if you were asking about the Geum at the start. No, that definitely doesn't look like a shirley poppy. And it's not a straight G. rivale either, it's a garden form or hybrid with larger petals and more of them.
     
  8. Davidm

    Davidm Active Member 10 Years

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    I would guess oriental poppies. The one with the purple flowers I would agree with Geum.
     
  9. Davidm

    Davidm Active Member 10 Years

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  10. westcoastgarden

    westcoastgarden Active Member

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    The purple flower looks somewhat like potentilla "Miss Wilmott"
     
  11. Ron B

    Ron B Paragon of Plants 10 Years

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