Common name: Common poppy, Field poppy, Corn poppy, Khas-Khas ख़स-ख़स (Hindi), Kaba (Manipuri)
Botanical name: Papaver rhoeas Family: Papaveraceae (poppy family)
The common poppy is a familiar wild flower, which has long been a symbol of
death and rebirth, and is worn in many countries on Remembrance Day in order
to commemorate those who lost their lives during warfare. The vibrant blood
red large solitary flowers, 5-10 cm across, are supported by hairy stalks;
the rounded petals are broader than
they are long, and often have a dark spot at the base. Poppy flowers are found
wild in grain fields and along roadsides and highways. Pink or white flowers
may also occur. The stamens consist of violet coloured anthers borne on
purplish-black filaments, and the stigma is a flattened disk with 8-14 rays.
The branching stems are covered with stiff hairs, and the leaves are narrow
and divided into toothed segments. The fruit is in the form of a capsule,
capped by a disk; the small brown seeds are released via holes that open below
the disk. Corn poppy is the source of the familiar poppy seeds used in baking.
| Photographed in Nehru Park, Delhi. |
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