Poppy

This head contains a great number of small round seeds, in several partitions next to the shell, the middle thereof remaining hollow and empty. These plants, while they remain fresh and green,yield a milk when they are broken, of an unpleasant bitter taste, and of a strong smell, which being condensed is called opium.

The black poppy, papaver nigrum, little differs from the former; but the flower, which is somewhat less, and of a black purplish colour, but without any purple spots in the bottom of the leaf. The head of the seed is much less than the former, and opens itself a little round about the top, under the crown. The seed is black.

The wild red poppy, or corn rose, papaver erraticum, has long and narrow leaves, very much cut in on the edges into many divisions, of a light green colour, sometimes hairy; the stalk is blackish and hairy also, but not so tall as the garden kind, having similar leaves thereon to grow below, parted into three or four branches, on which grow small hairy heads, on which is the flower, of a yellowish red, crimson, or scarlet colour, without any spot in the bottom of the leaves, having many black threads at the middle, compassing a small green head, which contain much black seed, smaller by half than that of the garden. The former two are cultivated in gardens, the latter grows in corn-fields, on ditch banks, etcetera.

Nutty and pleasant in taste, poppy seeds are nutritious oilseeds used as condiment in cooking. They are the seeds obtained from the dry fruits (pods) of the poppy plant (opium poppy) and entirely free from any sinister side effects of other poppy plant products such as opium poppy.a.

Poppy plant is a biennial herb of east mediterranean, and asia minor origin belonging to the papaveraceae family of the genus.

For azure color poppy plant with fruit globes containing poppy seeds.

Ancient egyptians were aware ofaseeds extraction from the poppy head. Through the arab traders, opium cultivation spread to persia, ancient khorasan, and india. Today seeds poppy is a well established commercial crop in many parts of the world mediterranean countries including turkey, france, india, and east european region. The poppy plant grows up to 5 feet in height. It requires full sunlight and fertile soil to flourish.adepending upon variety, lilac, blue, red or white flowers appear during spring on long peduncles which subsequently turn into globular or oval shaped fruits (capsules).

It is a valuable plant, for all its parts, and especially the capsule, or seed-vessel, yield a white opaque narcotic juice, called opium. Syrup of poppy is made from the capsule. But it should be given by the skilful hand, for it is dangerous otherwise. It is taken to procure ease, rest, and sleep for invalids; and also to ease coughs, hoarseness, and loss of voice.