Papaver laevigatum M. Bieb.

Mediterranean region and Sinai.

North Africa, Europe, Asia.

A very variable and complex species, and often split into a number of taxa, whose status seems to be doubtful due to numerous intermediate forms and overlapping of characters. Papaver laevigatum M. Bieb. and Papaver litwinowii Fedde ex Bornm. considered to be intermediate taxa between this species and Papaver decaisnei Hochst. & Steud. ex Boiss., with somewhat glaborus or less bristly habit and pinkish petals with or without black dots, cannot be separated from Papaver dubium after examining many specimens and because of their leaves narrowed below.

Papaver dubium seems to be confined to the northern region of W. Pakistan, and its occurrence in Baluchistan seems to be doubtful. Whatever has been called as Papaver dubium from Baluchistan, by previous authors (such as Burkill l.c 6), is perhaps Papaver decaisnei, with clasping and rounded leaf bases (not narrowed ones, which are common features of Papaver dubium). However, detailed biosystematic study seems necessary to clarify many complex problems. It seems to have no narcotic value.

In its native range, Papaver dubium is a tetraploid complex of five subspecies whose morphologies and distributions intersect to a considerable degree (J. W. Kadereit 1989, 1990). Probably several, if not all, of these entities have been introduced in North America, but it is fruitless to try to distinguish them here, where the species has arrived as a crop weed and the subspecies have no geographic integrity.

Papaver dubium sometimes seems to intergrade with P . rhoeas , at least in North America. The most readily evident character for distinguishing them reliably is the nature of the distal pubescence on the peduncles--whether spreading or appressed.

Annual, (15-) 30-60 cm tall, nearly glabrous to hispid or bristly, simple or sparsely branched from below. Latex usually milky. Leaves pinnatifid (very rarely reaching to pinnatisect condition), (5-) 7-15 cm long, 2-3 cm broad; segments lobed, usually acute. Flower bud ovoid, (5-) 7-10 mm long, often nodding. Flowers (2-) 3-5 (-7) cm in diam., terminal, on usually 10-20 cm long, appressedly bristly peduncles. Sepals 2, caducous, glabrous or bristly, ovoid. Petals 20-40 mm long, suborbicular-obovate, usually reddish, pinkish or pale scarlet with basal dark blotch or spots, caducous. Stamens as long as the ovary; anthers broad elliptic, c. 1 mm long. Capsule oblong, narrowed towards the base, (10-) 15-20 (-25) mm long, 4-8 mm broad, glabrous, usually distinctly ribbed; stigmatic rays (4-) 7-9 (-12), falling a little short of the shallowly lobed margin of the disk; seeds very small, kidney-shaped, minutely netted, usually bluish-black or brownish.

Plants to 7 dm, hirsute to hispid. Stems simple or branching. Leaves to 20 cm. Inflorescences: peduncle proximally spreading-hispid, distally appressed-hispid. Flowers: petals orange to red, rarely with dark basal spot, to 3 cm; anthers violet; stigmas 7-9, disc ± flat. Capsules sessile or substipitate, narrowly obovoid, usually distinctly ribbed, to 2 cm, 2 times or more longer than broad.

Distribution: Europe and Asia.

introduced; Greenland; N.B., Ont., Que.; Ark., Conn., Del., D.C., Ill., Kans., Md., Mass., Mo., N.J., N.Y., N.C., Ohio, Okla., Oreg., Pa., R.I., S.C., Va., W.Va.; Europe; sw Asia.

Fl.Per. March June.

Flowering spring-summer.

Fields, glades, dunes, stream banks, marshy areas, railroads, roadsides, and other disturbed sites; 0-900m.