This section is from the book "The Botanical Magazine; Or, Flower-Garden Displayed", by William Curtis. Also available from Amazon: The Botanical Magazine; or, Flower-Garden Displayed, Volume I.
Papaver Orientale. Eastern Poppy.
Polyandria Monogynia.
Cor. 4-petala. Cal. 2-phyllus. Capsula, 1-locularis sub stigmate persistente poris dehiscens.
PAPAVER orientale capsulis glabris, caulibus unifloris scabris foliosis pinnatis serratis. Linn. Syst. Vegetab. p. 490.
Papaver orientale hirsutissimum, magno flore. Tournes. cor. 17. itin. 3. p. 127. t. 127.
Most of the plants of this tribe are distinguished by the splendour of their colours, most of them also are annuals, in gaiety of colour none exceed the present species; but it differs in the latter character, in having not only a perennial root, but one of the creeping kind, whereby it increases very much, and by which it is most readily propagated.
Though a native of the East, as its name imports, it bears the severity of our climate without injury, flowers in May, and as its blossoms are extremely shewy, it gives great brilliancy to the flower-garden or plantation; prefers a dry soil.
 
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