Papaveraceae FAMILY

Argemone mexicana

Edibility

1/5

Medicinal

3/5

Safety & Hazards

All parts of the plant, including the seed, contain toxic alkaloids[ 175 Title Focus on Plants. Volume 5. (formerly 'Growing from seed') Publication Author Bird. R. (Editor) Publisher Thompson and Morgan. Year 1991 ISBN - Description Very readable magazine with lots of information on propagation. A good article on Corydalis spp. ]. The seed oil is toxic, causing intense pain all over the body, diarrhoea or constipation, and fever[ 310 Title Plant Resources of Southeast Asia Publication Author Website http://proseanet.org/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia. ]. The seeds have caused many fatalities in poultry[ 310 Title Plant Resources of Southeast Asia Publication Author Website http://proseanet.org/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia. ] The dried leaves are considered poisonous in fodder for cattle[ 310 Title Plant Resources of Southeast Asia Publication Author Website http://proseanet.org/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia. ].

Botanical Description

Prickly poppy is an erect, branched, annual to perennial plant with prickly stems and leaves, growing around 60cm tall. The plant has a wide range of traditional medicinal applications and also provides an oil. It is often grown as an ornamental. Able to grow in a wide range of habitats from the subhumid to the semi-arid, the plant has often escaped from cultivation and become naturalised. It is classified as 'Invasive' in many areas[ 305 Title Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk Publication Author Website http://www.hear.org/pier/scientificnames/index.html Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description A very good website detailing weed species that have been introduced into the Pacific Islands. ].

Habitat & Origin

Origintemperate; tropical

Native RangeSouth-western N. America. Widely naturalized.

HabitatDry soils along roadsides and in waste places and fields[ 72 Title Manual of the Southeastern Flora. Publication Author Small J.K. Website http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org Publisher University of N. Carolina Press. Year 1933 ISBN Description Getting rather dated now, an immense work covering the flora of Southeastern N. America. No pictures, it is not for the casual reader. It can be downloaded from the Internet. , 192 Title Narcotic Plants Publication Author Emboden. W. Publisher Studio Vista Year 1979 ISBN 0-289-70864-8 Description A lot of details about the history, chemistry and use of narcotic plants, including hallucinogens, stimulants, inebriants and hypnotics. ]. Mainly found on open waste ground, along roadsides, in fields as a weed and along railways; mostly near sea level but occasionally ascending to 3,000 metres[ 310 Title Plant Resources of Southeast Asia Publication Author Website http://proseanet.org/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia. ].