Poppy

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Poppies on Lake Geneva, Montreux Poppies in the Sunset on Lake Geneva.jpg
Poppies on Lake Geneva, Montreux

A poppy is a flowering plant in the subfamily Papaveroideae of the family Papaveraceae. Poppies are herbaceous plants, often grown for their colourful flowers. One species of poppy, Papaver somniferum , is the source of the narcotic drug mixture opium, which contains powerful medicinal alkaloids such as morphine and has been used since ancient times as an analgesic and narcotic medicinal and recreational drug. It also produces edible seeds. Following the trench warfare in the poppy fields of Flanders, Belgium, during World War I, poppies have become a symbol of remembrance of soldiers who have died during wartime, especially in the UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and other Commonwealth realms.

Contents

Description

A close-up of a red-flowered poppy A bright red poppy flower.jpg
A close-up of a red-flowered poppy
Wild poppy in Behbahan Persian Poppy, Behbahan.jpg
Wild poppy in Behbahan
Wild poppy in Mazandaran Wild Poppy in Mazandaran, Iran.jpg
Wild poppy in Mazandaran

Poppies are herbaceous annual, biennial or short-lived perennial plants. Some species are monocarpic, dying after flowering.

Poppies can be over 1 metre (3.3 ft) tall with flowers up to 15 centimetres (5.9 in) across. Flowers of species (not cultivars) have 4 or 6 petals, many stamens forming a conspicuous whorl in the center of the flower and an ovary of from 2 to many fused carpels. The petals are showy, may be of almost any colour and some have markings. The petals are crumpled in the bud and as blooming finishes, the petals often lie flat before falling away.

In the temperate zones, poppies bloom from spring into early summer. [1] Most species secrete latex when injured. Bees use poppies as a pollen source. The pollen of the oriental poppy, Papaver orientale , is dark blue, that of the field or corn poppy ( Papaver rhoeas ) is grey to dark green. [2] The opium poppy, Papaver somniferum , grows wild in Southeast Europe and Southeast Asia. It is believed that it originated in the Mediterranean region. [3]

A flowering glaucium flavum Glaucium flavum 2015-06-16 442.JPG
A flowering glaucium flavum

Poppies belong to the subfamily Papaveroideae of the family Papaveraceae, which includes the following genera:

Uses and cultivation

Poppy stems next to jars of blue, gray, and white poppy seeds used for pastries 3mohn z01.JPG
Poppy stems next to jars of blue, gray, and white poppy seeds used for pastries

The flowers of most poppy species are attractive and are widely cultivated as annual or perennial ornamental plants. This has resulted in a number of commercially important cultivars, such as the Shirley poppy, a cultivar of Papaver rhoeas and semi-double or double (flore plena) forms of the opium poppy Papaver somniferum and oriental poppy (Papaver orientale). Poppies of several other genera are also cultivated in gardens.[ citation needed ]

Poppy seeds are rich in oil, carbohydrates, calcium and protein. Poppy oil is often used as cooking oil, salad dressing oil, or in products such as margarine. Poppy oil can also be added to spices for cakes or breads. Poppy products are also used in different paints, varnishes, and some cosmetics. [4]

Poppy cultivators being interviewed in a poppy field Afghan poppies.jpg
Poppy cultivators being interviewed in a poppy field

A few species have other uses, principally as sources of drugs and foods. The opium poppy is widely cultivated and its worldwide production is monitored by international agencies. It is used for production of dried latex and opium, the principal precursor of narcotic and analgesic opiates such as morphine, heroin, and codeine.

Traditional medicine

Poppy seeds contain small quantities of both morphine and codeine, [5] which are pain-relieving drugs. Poppy seeds and fixed oils can also be nonnarcotic because when they are harvested about twenty days after the flower has opened, the morphine is no longer present. [4] Poppy cultivation is strictly regulated worldwide, with the exception of India where opium gum, which also contains the analgesic thebaine, is legally produced. [6]

History

Papaver somniferum was domesticated by the indigenous people of Western and Central Europe between 6000 and 3500 BC. [7] However, it is believed that its origins may come from the Sumerian people, where the first use of opium was recognized. [8] Poppies and opium made their way around the world along the silk road. [9] Juglets resembling poppy seed pods have been discovered with trace amounts of opium and the flower appeared in jewelry and on art pieces in Ancient Egypt, dated 1550–1292 BC. [10] [11]

The eradication of poppy cultivation came about in the early 1900s through international conferences due to safety concerns associated with the production of opium. In the 1970s the American war on drugs targeted Turkish production of the plant, leading to a more negative popular opinion of the U.S. [12]

In culture

The girl's given name "Poppy" is taken from the name of the flower. [13]

A poppy flower is depicted on the reverse of the Macedonian 500-denar banknote, issued in 1996 and 2003. [14] The poppy is also part of the coat of arms of North Macedonia.

Canada has issued special quarters (25-cent coins) with a red poppy on the reverse in 2004, 2008, 2010, and 2015. The 2004 Canadian "poppy" quarter was the world's first coloured circulation coin. [15]

Symbolism

Field with Poppies, 1889, by Vincent van Gogh Vincent van Gogh - Field with Poppies (1889).jpg
Field with Poppies, 1889, by Vincent van Gogh

Poppies have long been used as a symbol of sleep, peace, and death: Sleep because the opium extracted from them is a sedative, and death because of the common blood-red colour of the red poppy in particular. [16] In Greek and Roman myths, poppies were used as offerings to the dead. [17] Poppies used as emblems on tombstones symbolize eternal sleep. This symbolism was evoked in L. Frank Baum's 1900 children's novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz , in which a magical poppy field threatened to make the protagonists sleep forever. [17] A second interpretation of poppies in Classical mythology is that the bright scarlet colour signifies a promise of resurrection after death. [18]

Red-flowered poppy is unofficially considered the national flower of the Albanians in Albania, Kosovo and elsewhere. This is due to its red and black colours, the same as the colours of the flag of Albania. Red poppies are also the national flower of Poland. The California poppy, Eschscholzia californica , is the state flower of California. [19]

The powerful symbolism of Papaver rhoeas has been borrowed by various advocacy campaigns, such as the White Poppy and Simon Topping's black poppy.

Wartime remembrance

A Canadian remembrance poppy worn on the lapel Lest we forget.jpg
A Canadian remembrance poppy worn on the lapel

The poppy of wartime remembrance is Papaver rhoeas , the red-flowered corn poppy. This poppy is a common plant of disturbed ground in Europe and is found in many locations, including Flanders, which is the setting of the famous poem "In Flanders Fields" by the Canadian surgeon and soldier John McCrae. In Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, South Africa and New Zealand, artificial poppies (plastic in Canada, paper in the UK, Australia, South Africa, Malta and New Zealand) are worn to commemorate those who died in war. This form of commemoration is associated with Remembrance Day, which falls on November 11. In Canada, Australia and the UK, poppies are often worn from the beginning of November through to the 11th, or Remembrance Sunday if that falls on a later date. In New Zealand and Australia, soldiers are also commemorated on ANZAC day (April 25), [20] although the poppy is still commonly worn around Remembrance Day. Wearing of poppies has been a custom since 1924 in the United States. [21] Moina Michael of Georgia is credited as the founder of the Memorial Poppy in the United States. [22] [23] [24]

Artificial poppies (called "Buddy Poppies") are used in the veterans' aid campaign by the Veterans of Foreign Wars, which provides money to the veterans who assemble the poppies and various aid programs to veterans and their families. [25]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Opium</span> Dried latex of the opium poppy containing narcotic compounds

Opium is dried latex obtained from the seed capsules of the opium poppy Papaver somniferum. Approximately 12 percent of opium is made up of the analgesic alkaloid morphine, which is processed chemically to produce heroin and other synthetic opioids for medicinal use and for the illegal drug trade. The latex also contains the closely related opiates codeine and thebaine, and non-analgesic alkaloids such as papaverine and noscapine. The traditional, labor-intensive method of obtaining the latex is to scratch ("score") the immature seed pods (fruits) by hand; the latex leaks out and dries to a sticky yellowish residue that is later scraped off and dehydrated.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thebaine</span> Opiate alkaloid constituent of opium

Thebaine (paramorphine), also known as codeine methyl enol ether, is an opiate alkaloid, its name coming from the Greek Θῆβαι, Thēbai (Thebes), an ancient city in Upper Egypt. A minor constituent of opium, thebaine is chemically similar to both morphine and codeine, but has stimulatory rather than depressant effects. At high doses, it causes convulsions similar to strychnine poisoning. The synthetic enantiomer (+)-thebaine does show analgesic effects apparently mediated through opioid receptors, unlike the inactive natural enantiomer (−)-thebaine. While thebaine is not used therapeutically, it is the main alkaloid extracted from Papaver bracteatum and can be converted industrially into a variety of compounds, including hydrocodone, hydromorphone, oxycodone, oxymorphone, nalbuphine, naloxone, naltrexone, buprenorphine, butorphanol and etorphine.

<i>Eschscholzia californica</i> Species of flowering plant and state flower of California

Eschscholzia californica, the California poppy, golden poppy, California sunlight or cup of gold, is a species of flowering plant in the family Papaveraceae, native to the United States and Mexico. It is cultivated as an ornamental plant flowering in summer, with showy cup-shaped flowers in brilliant shades of red, orange and yellow. It is also used as food or a garnish. It became the official state flower of California in 1903.

<i>Papaver rhoeas</i> Species of flowering plant in the poppy family Papaveraceae

Papaver rhoeas, with common names including common poppy, corn poppy, corn rose, field poppy, Flanders poppy, red poppy, and Odai, is an annual herbaceous species of flowering plant in the poppy family Papaveraceae. It is native to north Africa and temperate Eurasia and is introduced into temperate areas on all other continents except Antarctica.

<i>Papaver</i> Genus of flowering plants in the poppy family Papaveraceae

Papaver is a genus of 70–100 species of frost-tolerant annuals, biennials, and perennials native to temperate and cold regions of Eurasia, Africa and North America. It is the type genus of the poppy family, Papaveraceae.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Papaveraceae</span> Family of flowering plants

The Papaveraceae, informally known as the poppy family, are an economically important family of about 42 genera and approximately 775 known species of flowering plants in the order Ranunculales. The family is cosmopolitan, occurring in temperate and subtropical climates like Eastern Asia as well as California in North America. It is almost unknown in the tropics. Most are herbaceous plants, but a few are shrubs and small trees. The family currently includes two groups that have been considered to be separate families: Fumariaceae and Pteridophyllaceae. Papaver is the classical name for poppy in Latin.

<i>Papaver somniferum</i> Species of flowering plant in the family Papaveraceae

Papaver somniferum, commonly known as the opium poppy or breadseed poppy, is a species of flowering plant in the family Papaveraceae. It is the species of plant from which both opium and poppy seeds are derived and is also a valuable ornamental plant grown in gardens. Its native range was east of the Mediterranean Sea, but has since been obscured and vastly expanded by introduction and cultivation from ancient times to the present day, being naturalized across much of Europe and Asia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Etorphine</span> Semi-synthetic opioid

Etorphine (M99) is a semi-synthetic opioid possessing an analgesic potency approximately 1,000–3,000 times that of morphine. It was first prepared in 1960 from oripavine, which does not generally occur in opium poppy extract but rather the related plants Papaver orientale and Papaver bracteatum. It was reproduced in 1963 by a research group at MacFarlan Smith in Gorgie, Edinburgh, led by Kenneth Bentley. It can be produced from thebaine.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Poppy tea</span> Herbal tea made out of poppy straw or poppy seeds

Poppy tea is a herbal tea infusion brewed from poppy straw or seeds of several species of poppy. The species most commonly used for this purpose is Papaver somniferum, which produces opium as a natural defense against predators. In the live flower, opium is released when the surface of the bulb, called the seed pod, is pierced or scraped. For the purpose of the tea, dried pods are more commonly used than the pods of the live flower. The walls of the dried pods contain opiate alkaloids, primarily consisting of morphine and codeine.

<i>Glaucium flavum</i> Species of flowering plant

Glaucium flavum, the yellow horned poppy, yellow hornpoppy or sea poppy, is a summer flowering plant in the family Papaveraceae. It is native to Europe, Northern Africa, Macaronesia and temperate zones in Western Asia. The plant grows on the seashore and is never found inland. All parts of the plant, including the seeds, are toxic. It is classed as a noxious weed in some areas of North America, where it is an introduced species. It is grown in gardens as a short-lived perennial but usually grown as a biennial.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Poppy seed</span> Edible oilseed obtained from poppy

Poppy seed is an oilseed obtained from the poppy plant. The tiny, kidney-shaped seeds have been harvested from dried seed pods by various civilizations for thousands of years. It is still widely used in many countries, especially in Central Europe and South Asia, where it is legally grown, used in food products and sold in shops. The seeds are used whole or ground into meal as an ingredient in many foods – especially in pastry and bread – and they are pressed to yield poppyseed oil.

"Polish" heroin is a crude preparation of heroin made from poppy straw. It is an opiate, used recreationally as a psychoactive drug. Poppy straw, like opium, is harvested from the opium poppy. Polish heroin was used mainly in Central and Eastern Europe prior to the dissolution of the Soviet Union and the end of communist control of the countries of the Warsaw Pact or Eastern Bloc.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Codeine</span> Opiate and prodrug of morphine used to treat pain

Codeine is an opiate and prodrug of morphine mainly used to treat pain, coughing, and diarrhea. It is also commonly used as a recreational drug. It is found naturally in the sap of the opium poppy, Papaver somniferum. It is typically used to treat mild to moderate degrees of pain. Greater benefit may occur when combined with paracetamol (acetaminophen) or a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) such as aspirin or ibuprofen. Evidence does not support its use for acute cough suppression in children. In Europe, it is not recommended as a cough medicine in those under 12 years of age. It is generally taken by mouth. It typically starts working after half an hour, with maximum effect at two hours. Its effects last for about four to six hours. Codeine exhibits abuse potential similar to other opioid medications, including a risk of addiction and overdose.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Narcotoline</span> Chemical compound

Narcotoline is an opiate alkaloid chemically related to noscapine. It binds to the same receptors in the brain as noscapine to act as an antitussive, and has also been used in tissue culture media.

<i>Papaver bracteatum</i> Species of flowering plant

Papaver bracteatum, also known as the Iranian poppy or Persian poppy and the great scarlet poppy is a sturdy hardy perennial poppy with large deep red flowers up to 8 inches (20 cm) in diameter on stiff stalks up to 4 feet high with a prominent black spot near the base of the petals. It is closely related to the commonly cultivated oriental poppy, Papaver orientale and is sometimes recorded as the varietal form Papaver orientale var. bracteatum.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Poppy straw</span> Portion of opium poppy

Poppy straw is derived from opium poppies that are harvested when fully mature and dried by mechanical means. Opium poppy straw is what remains after the seed pods have been harvested - that is, the dried stalks, stem and leaves of poppies grown for their seeds. The field-dried leaves, stalk, and seed pod are then used in commercial manufacture of morphine or other poppy-alkaloid derived drugs, by first processing the material, separating the seeds, and then making concentrate of poppy straw where no extraction using the traditional methods of latex extraction has been made. The straw was originally considered an agricultural by-product of the mechanised poppy seed harvest, which was primarily grown for its edible and oil-producing seed. This changed in 1927 when János Kabay developed a chemical process to extract morphine from the crushed capsule. Concentrated poppy straw, consisting mainly of the crushed capsule without the seeds, soon became a valuable source of morphine. Today, concentrate of poppy straw is a major source of many opiates and other alkaloids. It is the source of 90% of the world supply of legal morphine and in some countries it also is a source of illegal morphine, which could be processed into illegal heroin.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Opiate</span> Substance derived from opium

An opiate is an alkaloid substance derived from opium. It differs from the similar term opioid in that the latter is used to designate all substances, both natural and synthetic, that bind to opioid receptors in the brain. Opiates are alkaloid compounds naturally found in the opium poppy plant Papaver somniferum. The psychoactive compounds found in the opium plant include morphine, codeine, and thebaine. Opiates have long been used for a variety of medical conditions, with evidence of opiate trade and use for pain relief as early as the eighth century AD. Most opiates are considered drugs with moderate to high abuse potential and are listed on various "Substance-Control Schedules" under the Uniform Controlled Substances Act of the United States of America.

<i>Papaver setigerum</i> Species of flowering plant in the poppy family Papaveraceae

Papaver setigerum, common name poppy of Troy or dwarf breadseed poppy, is a herbaceous annual plant of the family Papaveraceae.

<i>Papaver glaucum</i> Species of flowering plant in the poppy family Papaveraceae

Papaver glaucum, the tulip poppy, Turkish tulip or Turkish red poppy, is a poppy found in the region of Anatolia.

References

  1. ↑ Simon, J.E., Chadwick, A.F. and Craker L.E. (1984) Herbs: An indexed bibliography, 1971-1980: the scientific literature on selected herbs, and aromatic and medicinal plants of the Temperate Zone. Elsevier, Amsterdam and New York. ISBN   0444996265
  2. ↑ Dorothy Hodges (1952). The pollen loads of the honeybee. Bee Research Association Ltd., London.
  3. ↑ Kryzmanski, J. and Jonsson, R. (1999) Poppy. In: Robbelon, G., Downey, R.K., Ashri, A.(eds.), Oil Crops of the World. Their Breeding and Utilization. McGraw Hill, New York, ISBN   00-705-30815. p. 388-393.
  4. 1 2 Kryzmanski, J. and Jonsson, R. (1999) Poppy. In: Robbelon, G., Downey, R.K., Ashri, A.(eds.), Oil Crops of the World. Their Breeding and Utilization. McGraw Hill, New York, ISBN   00-705-30815. p. 388-393
  5. ↑ Meadway, C.; George, S.; Braithwaite, R. (1998). "Opiate concentration following the ingestion of poppy seed products – evidence for 'the poppy seed defence'". Forensic Science International. 96 (1): 29–38. doi:10.1016/s0379-0738(98)00107-8. PMID   9800363.
  6. ↑ "Licensed cultivation of opium | Department of Revenue | Ministry of Finance | Government of India". dor.gov.in. Retrieved 2022-11-17.
  7. ↑ Jared Diamond (1997). Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies. W W Norton & Co. p. 101. ISBN   978-0-393-03891-0.
  8. ↑ Brownstein, M J (1993-06-15). "A brief history of opiates, opioid peptides, and opioid receptors". Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. 90 (12): 5391–5393. Bibcode:1993PNAS...90.5391B. doi: 10.1073/pnas.90.12.5391 . ISSN   0027-8424. PMC   46725 . PMID   8390660.
  9. ↑ "Opium Poppy: History". www.deamuseum.org. Retrieved 2018-11-20.
  10. ↑ "Brooklyn Museum". www.brooklynmuseum.org. Retrieved 2018-11-20.
  11. ↑ "Pochodzenie i historia maku - Baza wiedzy - Melbake's - Najlepsze ziarna". melbakes.pl (in Polish). Retrieved 2018-11-20.
  12. ↑ Evered, Kyle T. (7 September 2011). "Poppies Are Democracy!" A Critical Geopolitics of Opium Eradication and Reintroduction in Turkey". Geographical Review. 101 (3): 299–315. doi:10.1111/j.1931-0846.2011.00098.x. ISSN   0016-7428. PMID   22164875. S2CID   27615959.
  13. ↑ "Meaning and origin of the name Poppy". Baby Names UK. Retrieved 16 August 2015.
  14. ↑ National Bank of the Republic of Macedonia. Macedonian currency. Banknotes in circulation: 500 Denars Archived 2009-04-08 at the Wayback Machine (1996 issue) & 500 Denars Archived 2009-04-08 at the Wayback Machine (2003 issue). – access date 30 March 2009
  15. ↑ "The Poppy Coin". www.mint.ca.
  16. ↑ "Poppy Mythology". www.poppymythology.com. Retrieved 2023-12-12.
  17. 1 2 L. Frank Baum, Michael Patrick Hearn, The Annotated Wizard of Oz, p. 173, ISBN   0-517-50086-8
  18. ↑ Robert Graves, The Greek Myths, 24. 15 p. 96, ISBN   0-14-001026-2
  19. ↑ "California Poppy". wildlife.ca.gov. Retrieved 2024-02-07.
  20. ↑ Graham Seal (2004). Inventing Anzac: the digger and national mythology. Univ. of Queensland Press. pp. 105–. ISBN   978-0-7022-3447-7 . Retrieved 18 September 2010.
  21. ↑ "Legion Family flower of remembrance". The American Legion.
  22. ↑ "Miss Moina Michael". Archived from the original on 2016-10-27. Retrieved 2012-07-08.
  23. ↑ World Book; Inc (2003). The World Book dictionary. World Book.com. pp. 1622–. ISBN   978-0-7166-0299-6 . Retrieved 18 August 2010.{{cite book}}: |author2= has generic name (help)
  24. ↑ United States of America Congressional Record. Government Printing Office. 13 February 2009. pp. 10121–. ISBN   9780160825637. GGKEY:8F7NFQJ525R. Retrieved 18 August 2010.
  25. ↑ "Veterans of Foreign Wars Buddy Poppy Website". vfw.org. Archived from the original on 2010-08-07. Retrieved 2010-07-29.
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