Meconopsis Rudis

''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.

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 receptive to pollen). 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 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, with the new type ''Meconopsis regia''. This proposal has been accepted.

Phylogeny

Molecular phylogenetic studies have shown that the Old World 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 and since largely reversed, was to sink ''Meconopsis'', '' Roemeria'', ''Stylomecon'' and '' Cathcartia'' 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'' C.Y.Wu & H.Chuang ex L.H.Zhou
:*''Meconopsis regia'' G.Taylor
:*'' Meconopsis robusta'' Hook.f. & Thomson
:*'' Meconopsis simikotensis'' Grey-Wilson
:*'' Meconopsis staintonii'' Grey-Wilson
:*'' Meconopsis superba'' King ex Prain
:*'' Meconopsis taylorii'' L.H.J.Williams
:*'' Meconopsis tibetica'' Grey-Wilson
:*'' Meconopsis torquata'' Prain
:*'' Meconopsis violacea'' Kingdon-Ward
:*'' Meconopsis wallichii'' Hook.
:*'' Meconopsis wilsonii'' Grey-Wilson

*''Meconopsis'' sect. ''Aculeatae'' Fedde

:*'' Meconopsis aculeata'' Royle
:*'' Meconopsis bikramii'' Aswal (doubtfully placed here)
:*'' Meconopsis concinna'' Prain
:*'' Meconopsis delavayi'' Franch. Ex Prain
:*'' Meconopsis forrestii'' Prain
:*'' Meconopsis georgei'' G.Taylor
:*'' Meconopsis henrici'' Bureau & Franch.
:*'' Meconopsis horridula'' Hook.f. & Thomson
:*'' Meconopsis impedita'' Prain
:*'' Meconopsis lancifolia'' Franch.
:*'' Meconopsis latifolia'' Prain
:*'' Meconopsis muscicola'' Tosh.Yoshida, H.Sun & Boufford
:*'' Meconopsis neglecta'' G.Taylor
:*'' Meconopsis pseudovenusta'' G.Taylor
:*'' Meconopsis pulchela'' Tosh.Yoshida, H.Sun & Bouford
:*'' Meconopsis venusta'' Prain
:*'' Meconopsis yaoshanensis'' Tosh.Yoshida, H.Sun & Boufford

*''Meconopsis'' sect. ''Primulinae'' Fedde

:*'' Meconopsis argemonantha'' Prain
:*'' Meconopsis bella'' Prain
:*'' Meconopsis florindae'' Kingdon-Ward
:*'' Meconopsis lyrata'' (H.A.Cummins & Prain) Fedde
:*'' Meconopsis primulina'' Prain
:*'' Meconopsis sinuata'' Prain
:*'' Meconopsis wumungensis'' K.M.Feng
:*'' Meconopsis zang-nanensis'' L.H.Zhou

*''Meconopsis'' sect. ''Grandes'' Fedde

:*''Meconopsis betonicifolia'' Franch.
:*'' Meconopsis biloba'' L.Z.An, Shu Y.Chen & Y.S.Lian
:*''Meconopsis grandis'' Prain
:*'' Meconopsis integrifolia'' (Maxim.) Franch.
:*'' Meconopsis punicea'' Maxim.
:*'' Meconopsis quintuplinervia'' Regel
:*'' Meconopsis simplicifolia'' (D.Don) Walp.
:*'' Meconopsis sherriffii'' G.Taylor

A further species was described after Xiao and Simpson's classification:
*''Meconopsis gakyidiana'' 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'' Franch. ex Prain
*''Cathcartia smithiana'' Hand.-Mazz. = '' Meconopsis smithiana'' (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, 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:-

* '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