Oreomecon radicata

Oreomecon radicata
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Order:	Ranunculales
Family:	Papaveraceae
Genus:	Oreomecon
Species:	O. radicata
Binomial name
Oreomecon radicata (Rottb.) Banfi, Bartolucci, J.-M.Tison & Galasso
Synonyms
Papaver nudicaule var. radicatum Papaver nudicaule subsp. radicatum Papaver radicatum

The Arctic poppy (Oreomecon radicata) is a flowering plant in the poppy family. It may also be referred to as rooted poppy or yellow poppy. Arctic poppies grow in cold climate conditions and are found in Arctic regions of Europe. Arctic poppies have adaptations, such as heliotropism and physical characteristics, which help them survive in the harsh environment they grow in.

Taxonomy

Oreomecon radicata was given the scientific name Papaver radicatum in 1770 by Christen Friis Rottbøll. In 2021 it was moved to the genus Oreomecon . Together with its genus it is classified in the family Papaveraceae. ^[1]

The Flora of North America lists four subspecies:

• Papaver radicatum subsp. alaskanum (Hultén) J. P. Anderson
• Papaver radicatum subsp. kluanense (D. Löve) D. F. Murray
• Papaver radicatum subsp. polare Tolmatchew
• Papaver radicatum subsp. radicatum

However, none of these are considered valid by Plants of the World Online. Instead, they are considered to be species named Oreomecon alaskana , Oreomecon kluanensis , and Oreomecon polaris . ^[2] It has 57 synonyms. ^[1]

Table of Synonyms

Name	Year	Rank	Notes
Oreomecon radicata var. avkoensis(Knaben) Elvebakk & Bjerke	2024	variety	= het.
Oreomecon radicata var. faeroensis(C.E.Lundstr.) Elvebakk & Bjerke	2024	variety	= het.
Oreomecon radicata subsp. hyperborea(Nordh.) Elvebakk & Bjerke	2024	subspecies	= het.
Oreomecon radicata subsp. knabenianaElvebakk & Bjerke	2024	subspecies	= het.
Oreomecon radicata var. macrostigma(Nordh.) Elvebakk & Bjerke	2024	variety	= het.
Oreomecon radicata subsp. oeksendalensis(Knaben) Elvebakk & Bjerke	2024	subspecies	= het.
Oreomecon radicata subsp. ovatiloba(Tolm.) Elvebakk & Bjerke	2024	subspecies	= het.
Oreomecon radicata subsp. relicta(C.E.Lundstr.) Elvebakk & Bjerke	2024	subspecies	= het.
Oreomecon radicata subsp. stefanssoniana(Á.Löve) Elvebakk & Bjerke	2024	subspecies	= het.
Oreomecon radicata var. steindorssoniana(Á.Löve) Elvebakk & Bjerke	2024	variety	= het.
Oreomecon radicata subsp. subglobosa(Nordh.) Elvebakk & Bjerke	2024	subspecies	= het.
Papaver nordhagenianumÁ.Löve	1955	species	= het.
Papaver nordhagenianum subsp. faeroense(C.E.Lundstr.) Á.Löve	1962	subspecies	= het.
Papaver nordhagenianum subsp. islandicumÁ.Löve	1955	subspecies	= het.
Papaver nordhagenianum var. stefanssoniiÁ.Löve	1950	variety	= het.
Papaver nudicaule var. hartianumFedde	1909	variety	= het.
Papaver nudicaule var. latilobatumFedde	1909	variety	= het.
Papaver nudicaule subsp. radicatum(Rottb.) Fedde	1905	subspecies	≡ hom.
Papaver nudicaule var. radicatum(Rottb.) DC.	1821	variety	≡ hom.
Papaver nudicaule subsp. relictumC.E.Lundstr.	1923	subspecies	= het.
Papaver radicatumRottb.	1770	species	≡ hom.
Papaver radicatum f. albiflorumHartz	1895	form	= het.
Papaver radicatum subsp. avkoenseKnaben	1959	subspecies	= het.
Papaver radicatum subsp. dovrenseNordh.	1931	subspecies	= het.
Papaver radicatum subsp. faeroenseC.E.Lundstr.	1923	subspecies	= het.
Papaver radicatum subsp. gjaerevolliKnaben	1959	subspecies	= het.
Papaver radicatum f. glabrifoliumSerg.	1931	form	= het.
Papaver radicatum subsp. groevudalenseKnaben	1959	subspecies	= het.
Papaver radicatum var. hispidumSerg.	1931	variety	= het.
Papaver radicatum f. humileSerg.	1931	form	= het.
Papaver radicatum subsp. hyperboreumNordh.	1932	subspecies	= het.
Papaver radicatum subsp. intermedium(Nordh.) Knaben	1959	subspecies	= het.
Papaver radicatum var. intermediumNordh.	1932	variety	= het.
Papaver radicatum f. latifoliumSerg.	1931	form	= het.
Papaver radicatum f. lineatumSerg.	1931	form	= het.
Papaver radicatum f. lobatumSerg.	1931	form	= het.
Papaver radicatum subsp. macrostigma(Nordh.) Nordh.	1940	subspecies	= het.
Papaver radicatum var. macrostigmaNordh.	1932	variety	= het.
Papaver radicatum f. majusSerg.	1931	form	= het.
Papaver radicatum f. normaleSerg.	1931	form	≡ hom., not validly publ.
Papaver radicatum subsp. oeksendalenseKnaben	1959	subspecies	= het.
Papaver radicatum subsp. ovatilobumTolm.	1923	subspecies	= het.
Papaver radicatum subsp. relictum(C.E.Lundstr.) Tolm.	1927	subspecies	= het.
Papaver radicatum var. spitzbergenseÁ.Löve	1955	variety	= het.
Papaver radicatum subsp. stefanssoniiKnaben	1959	subspecies	= het.
Papaver radicatum subsp. stefanssonii(Á.Löve) Jonsell & Ö.Nilsson	2000	subspecies	= het., nom. illeg.
Papaver radicatum subsp. steindorssonianum(Á.Löve) Knaben ex Ö.Nilsson	2000	subspecies	= het.
Papaver radicatum subsp. subglobosumNordh.	1931	subspecies	= het.
Papaver radicatum var. typicumSerg.	ICN,	variety Err:502
Papaver relictum(C.E.Lundstr.) Nordh.	1931	species	= het.
Papaver relictum subsp. faeroense(C.E.Lundstr.) Á.Löve	1970	subspecies	= het.
Papaver relictum subsp. hyperboreum(Nordh.) Á.Löve & D.Löve	1975	subspecies	= het.
Papaver relictum var. islandicum(Á.Löve) Á.Löve	1970	variety	= het.
Papaver relictum var. stefanssoniiÁ.Löve	1970	variety	= het.
Papaver relictum var. steindorssonianum(Á.Löve) Á.Löve	1970	variety	= het.
Papaver stefanssonianumÁ.Löve	1955	species	= het.
Papaver steindorssonianumÁ.Löve	1955	species	= het.
Notes: ≡ homotypic synonym  ; = heterotypic synonym

Appearance

Arctic poppy leaves grow up to 12cm long. The leaves are green and lanceolate in shape. The Arctic poppy is known for either their white or yellow flowers; these flowers can grow up to 6.5 cm in diameter. The Arctic poppy stems range from 10 to 15 cm in length. Arctic poppies produce spherical or oval seed pods that are covered by fine hairs. ^[3]

Arctic poppy petals are covered by black hairs, which along with their cup-shaped petals help to insulate the poppy by trapping heat inside the flower. ^[4] Hair-like structures are also found covering the stem and sepals of the Arctic poppy. These hairs are used to retain heat and act as insulation against the cold, windy climate conditions that Arctic poppies grow in. ^[5]

Distribution

The Arctic poppy grows primarily in gravelly, rocky, well-drained soils, but can also grow in meadows. ^[6] The poppies are circumpolar in distribution, and are found in Arctic and alpine zones within Europe, North America and Asia. ^{[7] [8]} In 2023, the Arctic poppy was the northernmost flowering plant in the world, ^[9] with a northern range limit on Kaffeklubben Island ^[10] at a latitude of 83°40'N.

Pollination

The Arctic poppy, like many species of flowers, relies on pollination for reproduction. In the early spring, when snow starts to melt, the Arctic poppy blooms. Around the same time, Arctic bumblebees ( Bombus polaris ) begin their pollination process, making the Arctic bumblebee the main pollinator of Arctic poppies. As spring transitions to summer, bumblebee pollination begins to decline, and flies take over the place of the bumblebee's pollination of Arctic poppies. ^[11]

Toxicity

Arctic poppies contain alkaloids throughout the entirety of the flower structure, from the stem to the leaves. ^[12] These alkaloids protect and assist the survival of the Arctic poppy in a number of ways. When Arctic poppies are consumed, the alkaloids within the poppy can affect the central nervous system, protein synthesis, enzyme activity, and membrane transport of the predator. Because of these effects, the Arctic poppy is not a direct food source for many species. ^[12] Alkaloids are known to act as a growth regulator and can aid in the plant's reproduction rates. ^[12] Alkaloids can even act as herbicides, which inhibit the growth of competing plants. ^[12] They also act as substitutes for important minerals, like calcium and potassium, that can be difficult for the Arctic poppies to receive in their environment. ^[12]

See also

• The Svalbard poppy, another poppy of the extreme north.
• The coat of arms of Nunavut, in which the Arctic poppy appears on.

References

Citations

1. POWO 2025d.
2. POWO 2025a; POWO 2025b; POWO 2025c.
3. "Papaver radicatum (Arctic poppy)". florafinder.org. Retrieved 2024-11-06.
4. "Reviewed work: Botany of the Living Plant., F. O. Bower". The New Phytologist. 18 (8): 259–261. 1919. JSTOR   2428079.
5. Atkin, Owen K.; Villar, Rafael; Cummins, W. Raymond (1993). "The ability of several high arctic plant species to utilize nitrate nitrogen under field conditions". Oecologia. 96 (2): 239–245. Bibcode:1993Oecol..96..239A. doi:10.1007/bf00317737. PMID   28313420.
6. Fox, White (2024-02-25). "Arctic Poppy (Papaver Radicatum) - Arctic Wildlife Knowledge" . Retrieved 2024-11-06.
7. "Arctic Poppy, (Papaver radicatum) Varanger peninsular, Northern Norway | UNEP/GRID-Arendal - Environmental Photo Library". www.grida.no. Archived from the original on 2012-06-02.
8. "Papaver radicatum in Flora of North America @ efloras.org". www.efloras.org. Retrieved 2020-10-27.
9. "Northernmost flower". National Geographic Society .
10. "Sagax Groenland 2007". Archived from the original on 2013-10-29. Retrieved 2010-04-13.
11. "packerpedia - Bio Arctic Bumblebee". packerpedia.wiki.packer.edu. Archived from the original on 2012-07-13. Retrieved 2015-11-06.
12. Adibah, Kamarul Zaman Munirah; Azzreena, Mohamad Azzeme; Adibah, Kamarul Zaman Munirah; Azzreena, Mohamad Azzeme (2019). "Plant toxins: alkaloids and their toxicities". GSC Biological and Pharmaceutical Sciences. 6 (2): 021–029. doi: 10.30574/gscbps.2019.6.2.0003 . ISSN   2581-3250.

Sources

Web sources

• POWO (2025a). "Oreomecon alaskana (Hultén) Krivenko". Plants of the World Online . Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew . Retrieved 18 December 2025.
• POWO (2025b). "Oreomecon kluanensis (D.Löve) Galasso, Banfi & Bartolucci". Plants of the World Online . Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew . Retrieved 18 December 2025.
• POWO (2025c). "Oreomecon polaris (Tolm.) Krivenko". Plants of the World Online . Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew . Retrieved 18 December 2025.
• POWO (2025d). "Oreomecon radicata (Rottb.) Banfi, Bartolucci, J.-M.Tison & Galasso". Plants of the World Online . Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew . Retrieved 18 December 2025.

External links

• Media related to Oreomecon radicata at Wikimedia Commons