the Poppy; a genus of the monogyne order, belonging to the polyandria clas of plants.

Species. 1. The somniferum, or somniferous common garden-poppy, rises with an upright smooth stalk, dividing or branching a yard or more high; garnished with large, deeply jagged, amplexicaule, smooth leaves; and terminated by large, spreading, dark-purple, and other coloured flowers, in the varieties, having smooth cups and capsules, flowering in June and July. There are a great many varieties, some of them extremely beautiful. The white officinal poppy is one of the varieties of this sort. It grows often to the height of five or six feet, having large flowers both singles and doubles, succeeded by capsules or heads as large as oranges, each containing about 8000 seeds. 2. The rhoeas, or wild globular-headed poppy, rises with an upright, hairy, multiflorous stalk branching a foot and an half high; garnished with long, pinnatisect, deeply cut, hairy leaves; the stalk terminated by many red and other coloured flowers in the varieties, succeeded by globular smooth capsules. The flowers appear in June. 3. The Cambricum, or Welsh poppy, has a perennial root, pinnated cut leaves, smooth, upright, multiflorous stalks a foot and an half high; garnished with small pinnated leaves, and terminated by many large yellow flowers, succeeded by smooth capsules. The flowers appear in June. 4. The orientalis, or oriental poppy, hath a large, thick, perennial root; long, pinnated, sawed leaves; upright, rough, uniflorous stalks, terminated by one deep red flower, succeeded by oval, smooth, capsules. The flowers appearing in May.

Propagation. All the kinds are hardy, and will prosper anywhere. The two first species being annual, are to be propagated only by seeds; but the two last by parting the roots as well as the seeds.

Uses. The somniferous quality of the white poppy is well known. This quality resides in the milky juice of the capsule containing the seeds, nor is it evaporated by drying the juice; hence the dried capsules are preferred in the shops for making the syrup. The insipidated juice itself is a kind of opium; and for an account of its virtues see the article Opium. The seeds also make a very agreeable emulsion, but have no soporific virtue.