Biology:Argemone munita

Argemone munita
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Order:	Ranunculales
Family:	Papaveraceae
Genus:	Argemone
Species:	A. munita
Binomial name
	Argemone munita; Dur. & Hilg.

Short description: Species of flowering plant

Argemone munita is a species of prickly poppy known by the common names flatbud prickly poppy and chicalote. "Munita" means "armed", in reference to the many long prickles.^[1] This flower is native to California , where it is widespread throughout the western part of the state and its eastern deserts, on slopes to 10,000 feet, and along roadsides.^[1] Its range also extends into Baja California, Arizona, and Nevada.^[2]

This poppy bears its flowers on erect, spiny stems which can exceed a meter in height. The sap is yellow.^[3] The blue-green or mint-green, lobed leaves are also very prickly. The white poppy blooms usually have six crinkly petals, each up to 4 centimeters long, and three sepals.^[3] The center of the flower is surrounded by a dense ring of up to 250 small yellow or orange stamens bearing the pollen.^[1] The flowers are often compared to sunny-side-up eggs, with the dark pistil in the center as a dot of pepper.^[1]^[2] The fruits are spiny white capsules 3 to 5 centimeters long, each containing many small seeds. The leaves and seeds contain alkaloids which are probably toxic.^[3]