The poppy family includes about 45 rads and 700 plant varieties. They are widespread in the northern temperate zone. Plants of the poppy family grow on soils with insufficient moisture, therefore, they are most often found in steppes, semi-deserts and deserts. Remarkable is the fact that almost all plants of this family are poisonous to a greater or lesser extent. They contain alkaloids. For this reason, they are not eaten by livestock, and are also quite often used for decorative purposes.
Types of poppy plants
Adlumia
Argemona
Bocconia
Celandine
Хохлатка
Dendromecon
Dicentra
Dikranostigma
Eschsholzia
Smoke
Smoke
Glautium, or Machok
Гуннемания
Gilomecon
Gipekoum
Meconopsis
Platistemon
Pteridophyllum
Remeria
Romney
Sanguinaria
Characteristics of the poppy family
The poppy family is distinguished by a large variety of life forms. It includes a variety of herbaceous annuals and perennials, as well as shrubs and small trees. There are even species of lianas. They have a thin and sinuous stem that can grow up to 3 meters in length.
Plants of the poppy family are covered with alternate leaves. The uppermost ones have a whorled or opposite structure without stipules. Leaves at the roots can form a dense rosette. The very shape of the leaf blade in different plants of the family is very different.
Poppy family traits
Poppy flowers can be collected in vertebrate inflorescences. But most often they are located singly on long erect peduncles. There are flowers of completely different sizes and colors. However, all poppies are characterized by a sagging calyx, which consists of several sepals. The buds have a drooping appearance. Corollas are not present in all plants. The petals are solid and do not differ significantly from each other. However, in celandine, the petals of the inner circle are slightly smaller. The stamens are numerous in most cases. Their number can vary from 4 to 12. Many poppies are endowed with free stamens.
Almost all poppy plants are pollinated by insects. They produce very large quantities of pollen. Due to this, they attract various insects, in particular flies and small beetles. Large insects such as bumblebees and beetles sit on wide, sessile stigmas. Also, poppy flowers serve as a refuge for many insects.
The fruit body looks like a dry capsule, which can be either pod-shaped or rounded. It cracks when the flower dries. In some plants, it opens with pores in the upper part. The emerging seeds are quite small and have a strong oily endosperm.
Medicinal poppy plants
Representatives of the poppy family contain a large number of different alkaloids. As a rule, these are isoquinoline derivatives. Medicinal properties of plants of the family have been known since antiquity. They are now widely used in traditional medicine.
Main medicinal plants:
- Celandine is great. It is a perennial herb that grows up to 100 centimeters in height. It has a multi-headed rhizome and a thick root. All leaves are deeply pinnate, with several pairs of lobes that are round and irregularly crenate. Flowers are yellow.
Celandine large
This plant contains about 20 alkaloids. They have completely different properties. Most often, celandine is used as an antispasmodic, choleretic and anti-inflammatory. The alkaloid chelidonine, which is found in this plant, has a pronounced analgesic and calming effect.
- Poppy sleeping pills. It is an annual cultivated plant that can grow up to one and a half meters long. They are represented by a slightly branched stem, covered with a waxy coating. The leaves are elongated at the roots, and on the stems are simple and coarsely toothed. The flowers are quite large and can be either white or dark purple in color. The whole plant contains milky sap, which is extremely poisonous.
Poppy sleeping pills
The plant contains alkaloids, as well as glycosides, organic acids, fatty oil, flavonoids and vitamin C. The seeds have a high concentration of fats, proteins, sugar and about 20 different alkaloids. The pharmacological use of sleeping poppy is due to the presence of morphine, codeine and papaverine in its composition. Morphine is used as a serious pain reliever in cases of insomnia due to pain. Codeine is used to reduce the agitation of the cough center. Papaverine is used as an antispasmodic.
There is still a large number of plants of the poppy family, which are widely used in medicine. However, it is important to understand that it is extremely dangerous to consume these plants on your own.
Conclusion
Poppy seeds are annual or perennial herbs, some of which have a milky sap, with alternate simple leaves. The flowers of these plants can be either regular or irregular. The fruits are in the form of dry capsules, semicircular or pod-shaped. Poppy seeds are widely used in cooking. This family differs in that it has a number of medicinal properties that were used in antiquity. In particular, celandine, which is represented by the poisonous juice of poppy plants, has become widespread in folk medicine.
