Papaveraceæ

Papaveraceæ, a natural order of exogenous plants, herbaceous or half shrubby, usually with a milky or coloured juice. The leaves are alternate, without stipules; the flowers on long, one-flowered stalks. The fruit is pod-shaped or capsular, the seeds numerous (see POPPY). The order is distinguished for narcotic properties. Opium (q.v.) is its most important product. The juice of Celandine (q.v.) is very acrid. The Blood-root or Sanguinaria (q.v.) is another representative of the order. A number of species are used in their native countries for medicinal purposes. The seeds yield fixed oil, which, with the exception of that obtained from Argemone Mexicana, is quite bland. The flowers of many species are large and showy, most frequently white or yellow, sometimes red. There are in all about 130 known species, natives of all quarters of the world, and of tropical and temperate climates, but they abound most of all in Europe.