''Meconopsis'' is a genus of flowering plants in the poppy family Papaveraceae. It was created by French botanist Viguier in 1814 for the species known by the common name Welsh poppy, which Carl Linnaeus had described as '' Papaver cambricum''. The genus name means "poppy-like" (from Greek ''mekon'' poppy, ''opsis'' alike). Himalayan species discovered later were also placed in ''Meconopsis''. In the 21st century, it was discovered that the Himalayan species were less closely related to the Welsh poppy, which has been restored to '' Papaver''. All species now placed in ''Meconopsis'' are native to the Himalayas and surrounding regions. They have attractive, usually blue flowers. The taxonomy of ''Meconopsis'' remains unsettled. Although many sources recognize the genus, others sink it into ''Papaver''. There is also uncertainty over the number of species, as many readily hybridise with each other producing viable seed. It is likely that some individually named species are in fact a single species but with an under-appreciated morphological diversity. A large proportion of species are monocarpic and as such are notoriously difficult to maintain in cultivation. ''Meconopsis'' species do not produce

opium Opium (or poppy tears, scientific name: ''Lachryma papaveris'') is dried latex obtained from the seed capsules of the opium poppy ''Papaver somniferum''. Approximately 12 percent of opium is made up of the analgesic alkaloid morphine, which i ...

Taxonomy

The genus ''Meconopsis'' and its species have a complex taxonomic history. A European species was first described in 1753 by Carl Linnaeus as '' Papaver cambricum'', commonly known as the Welsh poppy. It has a style, while all other then described ''Papaver'' species lacked one, having only a "stigmatic disc" (i.e. a disc-shaped region on the top of the

ovary The ovary is an organ in the female reproductive system that produces an ovum. When released, this travels down the fallopian tube into the uterus, where it may become fertilized by a sperm. There is an ovary () found on each side of the body. ...

receptive to

pollen Pollen is a powdery substance produced by seed plants. It consists of pollen grains (highly reduced microgametophytes), which produce male gametes (sperm cells). Pollen grains have a hard coat made of sporopollenin that protects the gametophyt ...

). On the basis of this difference, in 1814, Louis Viguier transferred ''P. cambricum'' to his new genus ''Meconopsis'' as ''Meconopsis cambrica'', then the only species. Later, when mainly blue-flowered poppy-like species with styles like the Welsh poppy were discovered in the Himalayas and neighbouring regions, they were also placed in the genus ''Meconopsis''. However,

molecular phylogenetic Molecular phylogenetics () is the branch of phylogeny that analyzes genetic, hereditary molecular differences, predominantly in DNA sequences, to gain information on an organism's evolutionary relationships. From these analyses, it is possible to ...

studies from 1995 onwards showed that the Welsh poppy was not closely related to the Himalayan species, but rather to ''Papaver'' species. In 2011, Kadereit ''et al.'' proposed that Linnaeus's original name should be restored. However, as ''Meconopsis cambrica'' was the type species of the genus ''Meconopsis'', if the Welsh poppy was moved back to ''Papaver'', all the Himalayan species would have to be placed in this genus as well. In 2012, it was proposed that ''Meconopsis'' should become a

conserved name A conserved name or ''nomen conservandum'' (plural ''nomina conservanda'', abbreviated as ''nom. cons.'') is a scientific name that has specific nomenclatural protection. That is, the name is retained, even though it violates one or more rules whic ...

, with the new type ''Meconopsis regia''. This proposal has been accepted.

Phylogeny

Molecular phylogenetic studies have shown that the

Old World The "Old World" is a term for Afro-Eurasia that originated in Europe , after Europeans became aware of the existence of the Americas. It is used to contrast the continents of Africa, Europe, and Asia, which were previously thought of by the ...

members of the subfamily Papaveroideae form a monophyletic clade. However, they have sometimes left relationships within this clade unresolved. A 2014 study found that neither ''Meconopsis'' nor ''Papaver'' were monophyletic. ''Meconopsis'' was split into two clades, a large one which the authors called section ''Eumeconopsis'', and a smaller one, ''Meconopsis'' sect. ''Eucathcartia'', containing four of the species included in the study. An alternative cladogram resolves Clade III as the sister of Clades I and II. It was suggested that the generic name ''Meconopsis'' should be retained for Clade I, and Clade V should be treated as the genus ''Cathcartia''. This would still leave ''Papaver'' non-monophyletic. An alternative approach, adopted by

Plants of the World Online Plants of the World Online (POWO) is an online database published by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. It was launched in March 2017 with the ultimate aim being "to enable users to access information on all the world's known seed-bearing plants by ...

and since largely reversed, was to sink ''Meconopsis'', '' Roemeria'', ''Stylomecon'' and ''

Cathcartia ''Cathcartia'' is a small genus of flowering plants in the family Papaveraceae, native to China, Nepal, the eastern Himalayas, and northern Myanmar. Chloroplast DNA evidence supports a split of ''Cathcartia'' from the blue poppy genus ''Meconop ...

'' into ''Papaver''.

Sections

In 2017, Xiao and Simpson raised ''Meconopsis'' sect. ''Eucathcartia'' (Clade V) to the genus ''Cathcartia''. On the basis of a further molecular phylogenetic study they divided ''Meconopsis'' into four sections. *''Meconopsis'' sect. ''Meconopsis'' :*'' Meconopsis autumnalis'' P.A.Egan :*'' Meconopsis chankheliensis'' Grey-Wilson :*'' Meconopsis dhwojii'' G.Taylor :*'' Meconopsis discigera'' Prain :*'' Meconopsis ganeshensis'' Grey-Wilson :*'' Meconopsis gracilipes'' G.Taylor :*'' Meconopsis manasluensis'' P A.Egan :*'' Meconopsis napaulensis'' DC. :*'' Meconopsis paniculata'' Prain :*''

Meconopsis pinnatifolia ''Meconopsis'' is a genus of flowering plants in the poppy family Papaveraceae. It was created by French botanist Viguier in 1814 for the species known by the common name Welsh poppy, which Carl Linnaeus had described as '' Papaver cambricum'' ...

'' C.Y.Wu & H.Chuang ex L.H.Zhou :*'' Meconopsis regia'' G.Taylor :*''

Meconopsis robusta ''Meconopsis'' is a genus of flowering plants in the poppy family Papaveraceae. It was created by French botanist Viguier in 1814 for the species known by the common name Welsh poppy, which Carl Linnaeus had described as '' Papaver cambricum'' ...

'' Hook.f. & Thomson :*''

Meconopsis simikotensis ''Meconopsis'' is a genus of flowering plants in the poppy family Papaveraceae. It was created by French botanist Viguier in 1814 for the species known by the common name Welsh poppy, which Carl Linnaeus had described as '' Papaver cambricum'' ...

'' Grey-Wilson :*''

Meconopsis staintonii ''Meconopsis'' is a genus of flowering plants in the poppy family Papaveraceae. It was created by French botanist Viguier in 1814 for the species known by the common name Welsh poppy, which Carl Linnaeus had described as '' Papaver cambricum'' ...

'' Grey-Wilson :*''

Meconopsis superba ''Meconopsis'' is a genus of flowering plants in the poppy family Papaveraceae. It was created by French botanist Viguier in 1814 for the species known by the common name Welsh poppy, which Carl Linnaeus had described as '' Papaver cambricum' ...

'' King ex Prain :*''

Meconopsis taylorii ''Meconopsis'' is a genus of flowering plants in the poppy family Papaveraceae. It was created by French botanist Viguier in 1814 for the species known by the common name Welsh poppy, which Carl Linnaeus had described as '' Papaver cambricum'' ...

'' L.H.J.Williams :*''

Meconopsis tibetica ''Meconopsis'' is a genus of flowering plants in the poppy family Papaveraceae. It was created by French botanist Viguier in 1814 for the species known by the common name Welsh poppy, which Carl Linnaeus had described as '' Papaver cambricum'' ...

'' Grey-Wilson :*''

Meconopsis torquata ''Meconopsis'' is a genus of flowering plants in the poppy family Papaveraceae. It was created by French botanist Viguier in 1814 for the species known by the common name Welsh poppy, which Carl Linnaeus had described as '' Papaver cambricum' ...

'' Prain :*''

Meconopsis violacea ''Meconopsis'' is a genus of flowering plants in the poppy family Papaveraceae. It was created by French botanist Viguier in 1814 for the species known by the common name Welsh poppy, which Carl Linnaeus had described as '' Papaver cambricum' ...

'' Kingdon-Ward :*''

Meconopsis wallichii ''Meconopsis'' is a genus of flowering plants in the poppy family Papaveraceae. It was created by French botanist Viguier in 1814 for the species known by the common name Welsh poppy, which Carl Linnaeus had described as ''Papaver cambricum''. ...

'' Hook. :*''

Meconopsis wilsonii ''Meconopsis'' is a genus of flowering plants in the poppy family Papaveraceae. It was created by French botanist Viguier in 1814 for the species known by the common name Welsh poppy, which Carl Linnaeus had described as '' Papaver cambricum' ...

'' Grey-Wilson *''Meconopsis'' sect. ''Aculeatae'' Fedde :*''

Meconopsis aculeata ''Meconopsis aculeata'' is a blue-flowered thorny species of the genus ''Meconopsis'' with a small geographical distribution restricted to specific areas of Pakistan and India, in the west Himalayas. The species was described from specimens coll ...

'' Royle :*''

Meconopsis bikramii ''Meconopsis'' is a genus of flowering plants in the poppy family Papaveraceae. It was created by French botanist Viguier in 1814 for the species known by the common name Welsh poppy, which Carl Linnaeus had described as '' Papaver cambricum'' ...

'' Aswal (doubtfully placed here) :*''

Meconopsis concinna ''Meconopsis'' is a genus of flowering plants in the poppy family Papaveraceae. It was created by French botanist Louis Guillaume Alexandre Viguier, Viguier in 1814 for the species known by the common name Welsh poppy, which Carl Linnaeus had de ...

'' Prain :*''

Meconopsis delavayi ''Meconopsis'' is a genus of flowering plants in the poppy family Papaveraceae. It was created by French botanist Viguier in 1814 for the species known by the common name Welsh poppy, which Carl Linnaeus had described as '' Papaver cambricum' ...

'' Franch. Ex Prain :*''

Meconopsis forrestii ''Meconopsis'' is a genus of flowering plants in the poppy family Papaveraceae. It was created by French botanist Viguier in 1814 for the species known by the common name Welsh poppy, which Carl Linnaeus had described as '' Papaver cambricum'' ...

'' Prain :*''

Meconopsis georgei ''Meconopsis'' is a genus of flowering plants in the poppy family Papaveraceae. It was created by French botanist Viguier in 1814 for the species known by the common name Welsh poppy, which Carl Linnaeus had described as '' Papaver cambricum'' ...

'' G.Taylor :*''

Meconopsis henrici ''Meconopsis'' is a genus of flowering plants in the poppy family Papaveraceae. It was created by French botanist Viguier in 1814 for the species known by the common name Welsh poppy, which Carl Linnaeus had described as '' Papaver cambricum' ...

'' Bureau & Franch. :*''

Meconopsis horridula ''Meconopsis horridula'', the prickly blue poppy, is a flowering plant from the family Papaveraceae. It is an endangered species that grows in high altitudes. The height of the plant varies from 20 cm to 1m. It is a monocarpic, dicot plant. ...

'' Hook.f. & Thomson :*''

Meconopsis impedita ''Meconopsis'' is a genus of flowering plants in the poppy family Papaveraceae. It was created by French botanist Viguier in 1814 for the species known by the common name Welsh poppy, which Carl Linnaeus had described as '' Papaver cambricum' ...

'' Prain :*'' Meconopsis lancifolia'' Franch. :*''

Meconopsis latifolia ''Meconopsis'' is a genus of flowering plants in the poppy family Papaveraceae. It was created by French botanist Viguier in 1814 for the species known by the common name Welsh poppy, which Carl Linnaeus had described as '' Papaver cambricum' ...

'' Prain :*'' Meconopsis muscicola'' Tosh.Yoshida, H.Sun & Boufford :*''

Meconopsis neglecta ''Meconopsis'' is a genus of flowering plants in the poppy family Papaveraceae. It was created by French botanist Viguier in 1814 for the species known by the common name Welsh poppy, which Carl Linnaeus had described as '' Papaver cambricum'' ...

'' G.Taylor :*''

Meconopsis pseudovenusta ''Meconopsis'' is a genus of flowering plants in the poppy family Papaveraceae. It was created by French botanist Viguier in 1814 for the species known by the common name Welsh poppy, which Carl Linnaeus had described as '' Papaver cambricum' ...

'' G.Taylor :*''

Meconopsis pulchela ''Meconopsis'' is a genus of flowering plants in the poppy family Papaveraceae. It was created by French botanist Viguier in 1814 for the species known by the common name Welsh poppy, which Carl Linnaeus had described as '' Papaver cambricum'' ...

'' Tosh.Yoshida, H.Sun & Bouford :*''

Meconopsis venusta ''Meconopsis'' is a genus of flowering plants in the poppy family Papaveraceae. It was created by French botanist Viguier in 1814 for the species known by the common name Welsh poppy, which Carl Linnaeus had described as '' Papaver cambricum'' ...

'' Prain :*''

Meconopsis yaoshanensis ''Meconopsis'' is a genus of flowering plants in the poppy family Papaveraceae. It was created by French botanist Viguier in 1814 for the species known by the common name Welsh poppy, which Carl Linnaeus had described as '' Papaver cambricum' ...

'' Tosh.Yoshida, H.Sun & Boufford *''Meconopsis'' sect. ''Primulinae'' Fedde :*''

Meconopsis argemonantha ''Meconopsis'' is a genus of flowering plants in the poppy family Papaveraceae. It was created by French botanist Viguier in 1814 for the species known by the common name Welsh poppy, which Carl Linnaeus had described as '' Papaver cambricum' ...

'' Prain :*''

Meconopsis bella ''Meconopsis bella'' is commonly known as the pretty blue poppy. ''M. bella'' is a species of the genus ''Meconopsis'' which is found from central Nepal to southeastern Tibet. It is a herbaceous flowering plant and is a part of the poppy family ...

'' Prain :*'' Meconopsis florindae'' Kingdon-Ward :*''

Meconopsis lyrata ''Meconopsis'' is a genus of flowering plants in the poppy family Papaveraceae. It was created by French botanist Viguier in 1814 for the species known by the common name Welsh poppy, which Carl Linnaeus had described as '' Papaver cambricum' ...

'' (H.A.Cummins & Prain) Fedde :*''

Meconopsis primulina ''Meconopsis'' is a genus of flowering plants in the poppy family Papaveraceae. It was created by French botanist Viguier in 1814 for the species known by the common name Welsh poppy, which Carl Linnaeus had described as '' Papaver cambricum'' ...

'' Prain :*''

Meconopsis sinuata ''Meconopsis'' is a genus of flowering plants in the poppy family Papaveraceae. It was created by French botanist Viguier in 1814 for the species known by the common name Welsh poppy, which Carl Linnaeus had described as '' Papaver cambricum' ...

'' Prain :*''

Meconopsis wumungensis ''Meconopsis'' is a genus of flowering plants in the poppy family Papaveraceae. It was created by French botanist Viguier in 1814 for the species known by the common name Welsh poppy, which Carl Linnaeus had described as '' Papaver cambricum' ...

'' K.M.Feng :*''

Meconopsis zang-nanensis ''Meconopsis'' is a genus of flowering plants in the poppy family Papaveraceae. It was created by French botanist Viguier in 1814 for the species known by the common name Welsh poppy, which Carl Linnaeus had described as '' Papaver cambricum' ...

'' L.H.Zhou *''Meconopsis'' sect. ''Grandes'' Fedde :*''

Meconopsis betonicifolia ''Meconopsis betonicifolia'' (syn. ''Meconopsis baileyi''), the Himalayan blue poppy, is a species of flowering plant in the family Papaveraceae. It was first formally named for western science in 1912 by the British officer Lt. Col. Frederick M ...

'' Franch. :*''

Meconopsis biloba ''Papaver quintuplinervium'', the harebell poppy, is a species of flowering plant in the family Papaveraceae, native to China. As its synonym ''Meconopsis quintuplinervia'' it has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit ...

'' L.Z.An, Shu Y.Chen & Y.S.Lian :*'' Meconopsis grandis'' Prain :*''

Meconopsis integrifolia ''Meconopsis'' is a genus of flowering plants in the poppy family Papaveraceae. It was created by French botanist Louis Guillaume Alexandre Viguier, Viguier in 1814 for the species known by the common name Welsh poppy, which Carl Linnaeus had de ...

'' (Maxim.) Franch. :*''

Meconopsis punicea ''Meconopsis'' is a genus of flowering plants in the poppy family Papaveraceae. It was created by French botanist Viguier in 1814 for the species known by the common name Welsh poppy, which Carl Linnaeus had described as '' Papaver cambricum' ...

'' Maxim. :*''

Meconopsis quintuplinervia ''Papaver quintuplinervium'', the harebell poppy, is a species of flowering plant in the family Papaveraceae, native to China. As its synonym ''Meconopsis quintuplinervia'' it has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit ...

'' Regel :*''

Meconopsis simplicifolia ''Meconopsis simplicifolia'' is a perennial in the poppy family, sometimes monocarpic, with a taproot, rosette of leaves with bristly hairs, and blue or purple flowers on leafless stems, native to altitudes of in central Nepal and southeast ...

'' (D.Don) Walp. :*''

Meconopsis sherriffii ''Meconopsis'' is a genus of flowering plants in the poppy family Papaveraceae. It was created by French botanist Viguier in 1814 for the species known by the common name Welsh poppy, which Carl Linnaeus had described as '' Papaver cambricum' ...

'' G.Taylor A further species was described after Xiao and Simpson's classification: *''

Meconopsis gakyidiana ''Meconopsis gakyidiana'' (ཚེར་སྔོན་མེ་ཏོག in Dzongkha) is a species of blue poppy native to Eastern Bhutan, Western Arunachal Pradesh of India and Southern Xizang of China. It is the national flower of Bhutan. Desc ...

'' Tosh.Yoshida, Yangzom & D.G.Long Xiao and Simpson placed four former ''Meconopsis'' species in the genus ''Cathcartia'': *''Cathcartia chelidonifolia'' (Bureau & Franch.) Grey-Wilson = '' Meconopsis chelidoniifolia'' Bureau & Franch. *''Cathcartia oliveriana'' (Franch. ex Prain) Grey-Wilson = ''

Meconopsis oliveriana ''Meconopsis'' is a genus of flowering plants in the poppy family Papaveraceae. It was created by French botanist Viguier in 1814 for the species known by the common name Welsh poppy, which Carl Linnaeus had described as '' Papaver cambricum'' ...

'' Franch. ex Prain *''Cathcartia smithiana'' Hand.-Mazz. = ''

Meconopsis smithiana ''Meconopsis'' is a genus of flowering plants in the poppy family Papaveraceae. It was created by French botanist Viguier in 1814 for the species known by the common name Welsh poppy, which Carl Linnaeus had described as '' Papaver cambricum' ...

'' (Hand.-Mazz.) G.Taylor ex Hand.-Mazz. *''Cathcartia villosa'' Hook.f. = '' Meconopsis villosa'' (Hook.f.) G.Taylor

Cultivation

Himalayan varieties have the reputation for being difficult to grow from seed, but when germinating new plants, using fresh seeds will help. These plants are available in a variety of strong colours, including blue, red, orange, purple, white and yellow depending on species and cultivar. All meconopsis require an acid or neutral

soil pH Soil pH is a measure of the acidity or basicity (alkalinity) of a soil. Soil pH is a key characteristic that can be used to make informative analysis both qualitative and quantitatively regarding soil characteristics. pH is defined as the neg ...

, in a partially shaded sheltered position.

Cultivars

The following cultivars, of mixed or uncertain heritage, have won the Royal Horticultural Society's

Award of Garden Merit The Award of Garden Merit (AGM) is a long-established annual award for plants by the British Royal Horticultural Society (RHS). It is based on assessment of the plants' performance under UK growing conditions. History The Award of Garden Merit ...

:- * 'Bobby Masterton' (Infertile Blue Group) * 'Dalemain' (George Sherriff Group) * 'Keillour' *'Marit' * 'Mop-Head' (Fertile Blue Group) *'Mrs Jebb' (Infertile Blue Group) *'P.C. Abildgaard' (Infertile Blue Group) * 'Slieve Donard' (Infertile Blue Group) * 'Susan's Reward' (George Sherriff Group)

Pests and diseases

In the United Kingdom, ''Meconopsis'' has been affected by the invasive golden root mealybug. Damping off may occur on seedling grown plants.

References

External links

Meconopsis.org
specialized website - includes further links

A ''Meconopsis'' visual reference guide {{Taxonbar, from=Q1414316 Meconopsis, Papaveraceae genera