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POPPY
(Papaver somniferum)
opium poppy, mawseed
Description:
Erect, herbaceous annual, 3-4 ft. tall. Grayish-green basal leaves,
coarsely lobed, toothed, and hairy. Stem leaves, clasping, hairy.
Solitary flowers, white, red, pink or purple. Fruit, a capsule
covered with a shield-like cap. Indigenous to Asia but cultivated
in many parts of world for production of opium.
POISONOUS:
Eating unripe fruit leads to dizziness, delirium, drowsiness,
slow breathing, deep sleep and death. Other parts of plant induce
nausea, vomiting, stomach pains, plus twitching muscles, lack
of control of bodily functions. Opium gum comes from the juice
of the unripe pod, seeds used for seasoning. This opium is source
of morphine, heroin and claimed thousands of addicts.
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