Classification
Common Names:
common poppy, garden poppy, medicinal poppy, opium
poppy, plant of joy, poppyseed, true poppy, white poppy
Binomial Name: Papaver somniferum
- Papaver is Latin for poppy
- somniferum is from the Latin somnus (sleep) and
ferre
(bring) or "inducing sleep" referring to the narcotic
properties of
the opium resin in the fruit of this plant
Scientific Classification:
Domain: Eukarya
Kingdom: Plantae
Phylum: Tracheophyta
Superdivision: Spermatophyta
Division: Magnoliophyta
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Papaverales
Family: Papveraceae
Subfamily: Papaveroideae
Genus: Papaver
Species: P. somniferum
Understanding the Classifications:
| Domain: Eukarya |
Multicellular organism with complex cells, membrane bound organelles within the cytoplasm |
| Kingdom: Plantae |
Photosynthetic, eukaryotic, able to conduct sexual reproduction with alternation of generations between gametophyte and sporophyte |
| Phylum: Tracheophyta | Vascular plants, have water conducting vessel members |
| Superdivision: Spermatophyta | Plants with seeds |
| Division: Magnoliophyta | Angiosperms or flowering plants |
| Class: Magnoliosida |
Dicotyledons, have vascular bundles formed in a ring, flowers observed with 4 or 5 petals |
| Order: Papaverales |
Have only two sepal, or separate, usually green parts forming the calyx of a flower |
| Family: Papaveraceae |
Poppy family, regular flowers, numerous stamens, and a well-developed latex system |
| Genus: Papaver |
"True poppies," usually 4 petals, egg-shaped ovary with a stigmatic disk capping it containing between 4 and 10 rays, flat, convex or somewhat concave |
| Species: P. somniferum |
Opium poppy, leaves entire to markedly toothed, fruit capsule 3cm or more in length |
To take another look at how Papaver somniferum is classified, check out the Phylogenetic Tree!
Now that you know a little of the taxonomy, check out the opium poppy's Habitat!
