''Papaver californicum'' is a species of
poppy
A poppy is a flowering plant in the subfamily Papaveroideae of the family Papaveraceae. Poppies are herbaceous plants, often grown for their colourful flowers. One species of poppy, '' Papaver somniferum'', is the source of the narcotic drug o ...
known by the common names fire poppy and western poppy.
It is
endemic
Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found else ...
to California, where it is found in Central Western California and Southwestern California. It grows in
chaparral,
oak woodlands, and other
habitat
In ecology, the term habitat summarises the array of resources, physical and biotic factors that are present in an area, such as to support the survival and reproduction of a particular species. A species habitat can be seen as the physical ...
s, often in places that have recently
burned.
Description
''Papaver californicum'' is an annual herb that grows a hairy to hairless stem which may exceed half a meter in height.
The flower atop the mostly naked stem usually has four petals one or two centimeters long that are orange in color with green bases. Petals of the similar
wind poppy (''Stylomecon heterophylla'') have purple bases.
The flowers last only a few days at most. The seeds, once scattered, can lie dormant for years; smoke acts as a trigger for them to germinate.
Taxonomy
''Papaver californicum'' is the only species in the
section
Section, Sectioning or Sectioned may refer to:
Arts, entertainment and media
* Section (music), a complete, but not independent, musical idea
* Section (typography), a subdivision, especially of a chapter, in books and documents
** Section sig ...
''Papaver'' sect. ''Californicum''.
See also
*
California chaparral and woodlands
*
Flora of the California chaparral and woodlands
References
External links
Jepson Manual Treatment: ''Papaver californicum''USDA Plants Profile: ''Papaver californicum''Flora of North America''Papaver californicum'' — U.C. Photo gallery
californicum
Endemic flora of California
Natural history of the California chaparral and woodlands
Natural history of the California Coast Ranges
Natural history of the Channel Islands of California
Natural history of the Peninsular Ranges
Natural history of the San Francisco Bay Area
Natural history of the Santa Monica Mountains
Natural history of the Transverse Ranges
Plants described in 1887
Flora without expected TNC conservation status
{{Ranunculales-stub