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Article: poppy
- Article from:
- The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition
CopyrightThe Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. Copyright 2008 Columbia University Press. (Hide copyright information)
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poppy common name for some members of the Papaveraceae, a family composed chiefly of herbs of the Northern Hemisphere having a characteristic milky or colored sap. Most species are native to the Old World; many are cultivated in gardens for their brilliantly colored if short-lived blossoms. Many of the species have several varieties and show a wide range of colors, especially in red, yellow, and white shades. The true poppy genus is
Papaver,
but many flowers of related genera are also called poppies. The most frequently cultivated are the Oriental poppy (
P. orientale
), usually bearing a large scarlet flower with a purplish black base, and the corn poppy (
P. rhoeas
) and its variety, ...