the Poppy: A genus of the monogynia order, belonging to the polyandria clas of plants; and in the natural method ranking under the 27th order, Rhoeoideae. The corolla is tetrapetalous; the calyx diphyllous; the capsule bilocular, opening at the pores below a persistent stigma.

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. There are a great many varieties, some of them extremely beautiful. The white official 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 800 seeds.

We are told, that in the province of Bahar in the East Indies, the poppy-seeds are sown in the months of October and November, at about eight inches distance, and well watered, till the plants are about half a foot high, when a compost of dung, nitrous earth, and ashes, is spread over the areas; and a little before the flowers appear, they are again watered profusely till the capsules are half grown, at which time the opium is collected; for when fully ripe, they yield but little juice: two longitudinal incisions from below upwards, without penetrating the cavity, are made at sunset for three or four successive evenings; in the morning the juice is scraped off with an iron scoop, and and worked in an iron pot in the sun's heat till it is of a consistence to be formed into thick cakes of about four pounds weight; these are covered over with the leaves of poppy, tobacco, or some other vegetable, to prevent their sticking together, and in this situation they are dried.

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 preserved in the shops for making the syrup. The infusorial 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.

It grows in England, generally in neglected gardens, or uncultivated rich grounds, and flowers in July and August. This species is said to have been named white poppy from the whiteness of its seeds; a variety of it, however, is well known to produce black seeds; the double-flowered white poppy is also another variety; but for medicinal purposes, any of these may be employed indiscriminately, as we are not able to discover the least difference in their sensible qualities or effects. The seeds, according to some authors, possess a narcotic power; but there is no foundation for this opinion: they consist of a simple farinaceous matter, united with a bland oil, and in many countries are eaten as food. As a medicine, they have been usually given in the form of emulsion, in catarrhs, stranguries, &c. The heads or capsules of the poppy, which are directed for use in the pharmacopoeias, like the stalks and leaves, have an unpleasant smell, somewhat like that of opium, and an acid bitterish taste. Both the smell and taste reside in a milky juice, which more especially abounds in the cortical part of the capsules, and in its concrete state constitutes the officinal opium. These capsules are powerfully narcotic or anodyne; boiled in water, they impart to the menstruum their narcotic juice, together with the other juices which they have in common with vegetable matters in general. The liquor, strongly pressed out, suffered to settle, clarified with whites of eggs, and evaporated to a due consistence, yields an extract which is about one-fifth or one-sixth of the weight of the heads. This possesses the virtues of opium, but requires to be given in double its dose to answer the same intention, which it is said to perform without occasioning a nausea and giddiness, the usual effects of opium. This extract was first recommended by Mr Arnot; and a similar one is now received in the Edinburgh Pharmacopoeia. It is found very convenient to prepare the syrup from this extract, by dissolving one dram in two pounds and a half of simple syrup. The syrupus papaveris albi, as directed by both colleges, is a useful anodyne, and often succeeds in procuring sleep, where opium fails; it is more especially adapted to children. White poppy heads are also used externally in fomentations, either alone, or more frequently added to the decoction pro fomento.

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, pinnatified, deeply cut, hairy leaves; the stalk terminated by many red and other coloured flowers in the varieties, succeeded by globular smooth capsules.

This plant is common in corn-fields, and flowers in June and July. It may be distinguished from p. du-Woodville bium, to which it bears a general resemblance, by its urn-shaped capsules, and by the hairs upon the peduncles standing in a horizontal direction. The capsules of this species, like those of somniferum, contain a milky juice, of a narcotic quality, but the quantity is very inconsiderable, and has not been applied to any medical purpose; but an extract prepared from them has been successfully employed as a sedative. The flowers have somewhat of the smell of opium, and a mucilaginous taste, accompanied with a slight degree of bitterness. A syrup of these flowers is directed in the London Pharmacopoeia, which has been thought useful as an anodyne and pectoral, and is therefore prescribed in coughs and catarrhal affections; but it seems valued rather for the beauty of its colour than for its virtues as a medicine.

3. The Cambrium, 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.