Papaver rhoeas
Family: Papaveraceae
Description: A sparsely branched, bristly plant to 1 meter in height. Leaves deeply pinnatifid with divisions lobed or incised. Flowers are bright scarlet, with petals broadly flabelliform (fan shaped). Fruit is an obovoid to subgloblose capsule.
Field Identification: Collected along Interstate 37 north of Mathis, Texas.
Plant Trivia: Contains the alkaloid called rhoeadine which is a mild sedative.
Occurrence: Native of Europe and N. Africa.
Bloom Period: Apr-June
Plant Use: Nectar source.
Dichotomous Key: This is the only species in the Genus Papaver.
