E-Flora BC: Electronic Atlas of the Flora of British Columbia

Papaver radicatum Rottb.
Arctic poppy (Iceland Poppy; Macoun's Poppy; rooted poppy)
Papaveraceae (Fumitory family)

Introduction to Vascular Plants

© Virginia Skilton  Email the photographer   (Photo ID #31264)

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Distribution of Papaver radicatum
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Species Information

General:
Perennial herb from a taproot with a stem-base clothed with numerous brown decaying leaf bases; stems curved to erect, simple, bowed, bristly-hairy, 6-18 cm tall.
Leaves:
Basal leaves 3-7 cm long, the stalks two-thirds the leaf length, deeply dissected into lanceolate segments, mostly with 1-2 pairs of primary lateral lobes, grey to blue-green above and below, smooth; stem leaves lacking.
Flowers:
Inflorescence of solitary flowers on erect, straight, white bristly-hairy, 15-25 cm stalks, buds erect, 8-14 mm long; petals 4, yellow, rarely pinkish-tinged or brick red, 1.5-2.0 cm long.
Fruits:
Capsules, ellipsoid to oblong, 0.8-1.2 cm long, light brown, straight, appressed hairy.

Source: The Illustrated Flora of British Columbia

Habitat / Range

Dry cliffs and talus slopes in the alpine zone; infrequent in N BC, rare S to 52degreeN; circumpolar, N to AK, YT and NT, E to W AB and S to CO and NM; Lapland.

Source: The Illustrated Flora of British Columbia

Taxonomic and Nomenclatural Links

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General References