Papaver Papaver, Rottb.

25. P. radicatum Rottb. View in CoL , Skr. Kiobenhavnske Selsk. Laerd. Vid. 10: 454 (1770).

Caespitose perennial. Latex usually various shades of yellow, rarely white. Leaf-bases persistent, forming a compact tunic. Leaves (2-)3-6(-10) cm, pinnatisect to pinnatifid, with 2-5 pairs of ovate-lanceolate to sublinear, usually acute, entire or incised segments. Pedicel (5—)15—25(—30) cm, erect, sparsely or densely patent- or rarely appressed-hispid. Petals (11—)15—20(—24) mm, usually yellow, sometimes whitish or rarely pink, caducous or persistent. Stamens as long as or longer than ovary; filaments filiform, anthers yellow. Capsule (7—)13—17(—20) x (5—)7—10 mm, ellipsoidal to obovoid or rarely subglobose, widest about middle, densely patent- or appressed-setose. Stigmatic disc flat or convex, usually narrower than capsule; rays 5, not or shortly decurrent. In = 70. • N. W. Europe. Fa Is No Su.

Extremely variable. Fourteen subspecies have been described, the majority restricted each to a small area in the Norwegian mountains.

P. chibinense N. Semen , in Pojark., FI. Murmansk. 3: 368 (1956), described from N.W. Russia (Khibiny mountain), resembles 25 in capsule-shape, but has more finely dissected leaves. Its relationships are obscure.