Opium poppy

From Freepedia

Opium poppy

Scientific classification

Kingdom:	Plantae
Division:	Magnoliophyta
Class:	Magnoliopsida
Order:	Ranunculales
Family:	Papaveraceae
Genus:	Papaver
Species:	P. somniferum

Binomial name

Papaver somniferum
L.

The opium poppy, Papaver somniferum, is the type of poppy from which opium and all refined opiates such as morphine are extracted, as well as an important food item. There are many varieties of this poppy species. Colors of the flower vary widely, as do other physical characteristics (number and shape of petals, number of pods, production of morphine, etc.). Possession of any part of Papaver somniferum is outlawed in the United States and is listed as a Schedule II controlled substance by the Drug Enforcement Administration.[1]

The name means, loosely, the "sleep-bringing poppy", referring to its narcotic properties.

1 History
2 Use as food item
3 See also
4 External links

History

The history of the opium poppy predates written history. It probably originated in the Mediterranean area. Images of opium poppies have been found in ancient Sumerian artifacts (ca. 4000 b.c.). The opium poppy was also known to the ancient Greeks, from whom it gained its modern name of Opium.

Many modern writers, particularly in the 19th century, have written on the opium poppy and its effects, notably L. Frank Baum with The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, and Thomas de Quincey's Confessions of an English Opium-Eater.

Use as food item

The seeds of the poppy are widely used as the popular "poppy-seed" found in and on many food items such as bagels, muffins and cakes. The seeds can be pressed to form poppy seed oil. Opium poppy seeds contain negligible amounts of narcotics. However, it was shown on MythBusters that one would test positive for narcotics after consuming an "excessive" amount of poppy seeds, in this case, in the form of 4 poppy seed bagels. This situation was parodied on the show Seinfeld.

In India, opium poppy is known as Khaskhas (probably derived from Arabic) and is considered a highly nutritious food item, highly recommended for pregnant women and new mothers.