Key to Papaveraceae

View taxon page for Papaveraceae

Jepson Manual glossary definitions can be seen by moving your cursor over words underlined with dots.

1. Flower 

bilateral 

Divisible into mirror-image halves in only one way.

or 

biradial 

Divisible into mirror-image halves in two ways; isobilateral.

; petals 4, 1 or both outer spurred or pouched at base (Fumarioideae)

2. Flower biradial; outer 2 petals alike, both pouched at base

3. Plant without leafy stems ..... DICENTRA

3' Plant with leafy stems ..... EHRENDORFERIA

2' Flower bilateral; outer 2 petals not alike, upper spurred at base

4. Fruit a capsule, generally 

linear 

Elongate, with nearly parallel sides; narrower than elliptic or oblong.

to 

oblong 

Longer than wide, with nearly parallel sides; wider than linear.

, several- to many-seeded ..... CORYDALIS

4' Fruit ± a nut, ± round, 1-seeded ..... FUMARIA

1' Flower 

radial 

Divisible into mirror-image halves in three or more ways.

; petals >= 4, not spurred or pouched at base (Papaveroideae)

5. Subshrub to small tree

6. Petals 4(6), yellow, 2–3 cm; 

leaf 

Organ arising from a stem, generally composed of a stalk (petiole) and a flat, expanded, green, photosynthetic area (blade); distinguished from a leaflet by the presence in its axil of a bud, branch, thorn, or flower; sometimes with lateral, basal appendages (stipules); either simple (toothed, lobed, or dissected but not divided into leaflets) or compound (divided into leaflets).

 

entire 

Having margins that are continuous and smooth (i.e., without teeth, lobes, etc.).

or minutely toothed ..... DENDROMECON

6' Petals 6, white, 4–10 cm; leaf deeply lobed ..... ROMNEYA

5' Annual, biennial, 

perennial 

Completing life cycle (germination through death) in more than two years or growing seasons, generally non-woody (at least above ground) to woody; includes perennial herbs as well as subshrubs to trees; the abbreviation 'per' only refers to perennial herb, not to the word 'perennial' alone.

 herb, occasionally woody at base

7. Leaves entire to minutely toothed; petals generally 6

8. Plant generally glabrous; stamens 4–15

9. Basal leaves 

sessile 

Without a petiole, peduncle, pedicel, or other kind of stalk.

, linear, fleshy; petals persistent; capsule ovoid, 1.5–2.5 mm ..... CANBYA

9' Basal leaves petioled, spoon-shaped, not fleshy; petals deciduous; capsule linear, to 50 mm ..... MECONELLA

8' Plant long-hairy; stamens > 12

10. Stigmas 3; fruit ovoid, opening by 3 valves, not breaking transversely into units ..... HESPEROMECON

10' Stigmas >= 6; fruit ovoid to widely linear, breaking transversely into 1-seeded, 

indehiscent 

Not opening inherently to release contents; usually pertaining to fruits.

units ..... PLATYSTEMON

7' Leaves toothed to dissected; petals 4, 6, or more

11. Plant spiny; leaves generally cauline ..... ARGEMONE

11' Plant unarmed; leaves 

basal 

At or near the base of a plant or plant part. Especially said of leaves clustered near the ground or of a placenta confined to the base of an ovary.

, cauline, or both

12. Hairs generally ± 5–15 mm, wavy; leaves generally basal – ne DMoj ..... ARCTOMECON

12' Hairs 0 or to 3 mm, straight; leaves basal, cauline, or both

13. Ovary, fruit < 3 × longer than wide; carpels > 2; fruit opening by pores ..... PAPAVER

13' Ovary generally > 3 × (fruit > 4 ×) longer than wide; carpels 2; fruit splitting into 2 valves

14. Leaf dissected into ± linear segments; sepals 2, fused into conical cap; receptacle cup-shaped around ovary base; stigma 

lobes 

1. A major expansion or bulge, such as on the margin of a leaf, sepal, or petal, or on the surface of an ovary. 2. The free tips of otherwise fused structures, such as sepals or petals; larger than teeth.

4–8, linear ..... ESCHSCHOLZIA

14' Leaf deeply pinnate-lobed; sepals 2, free; receptacle not cup-shaped, not around ovary base; stigma lobes 2, not linear ..... [GLAUCIUM]

Please use this Google Form for Contact/Feedback

Citation for the whole project: Jepson Flora Project (eds.) . Jepson eFlora, https://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/eflora/ [accessed on ]

Citation for an individual treatment: [Author of taxon treatment] [year]. [Taxon name] in Jepson Flora Project (eds.) Jepson eFlora, [URL for treatment]. Accessed on .

We encourage links to these pages, but the content may not be downloaded for reposting, repackaging, redistributing, or sale in any form, without written permission from The Jepson Herbarium.