Papaveraceae (poppy family)

[= Fumariaceae]

Life > eukaryotes > Archaeoplastida > Chloroplastida > Charophyta > Streptophytina > Plantae (land plants) > Tracheophyta (vascular plants) > Euphyllophyta > Lignophyta (woody plants) > Spermatophyta (seed plants) > Angiospermae (flowering plants) > Eudicotyledons > Order: Ranunculales

There are about 41 genera and about 760 species, native mainly to the temperate regions of the northern Hemisphere but also extending down to Central and South America and to southern Africa. Four genera and eight species are indigenous to southern Africa, and four genera and six species are naturalised. An additional eight genera and nine species are cultivated in the region. The members of the family Fumariaceae has been included in the Papaveraceae.

Genera native to southern Africa

List from Jordaan (2000a, b).

Papaveroideae
	Papaver (poppies) About 80 species, native to Europe, temperate Asia, Australia and Africa. Papaver aculeatum is the only indigenous species in southern Africa and there are also 3 naturalised species. An additional eight species are cultivated.
Fumarioideae
	Cysticapnos Five species, endemic to southern Africa
	Discocapnos One species: Discocapnos mundtii, endemic to the Western Cape.
	Trigonocapnos One species: Trigonocapnos lichtensteinii, endemic to Northern Cape and Western Cape.

Genera naturalised in southern Africa

List from Jordaan (2000a, b).

Papaveroideae
	Argemone About 23 species, native to the Americas, the West Indies and the Hawaiian Islands. There are 2 naturalised species in southern Africa: Argemone mexicana (Yellow-flowered Mexican poppy) and Argemone ochroleuca subsp. ochroleuca (White-flowered Mexican poppy), both of which are declared Category 1 invasive plants in South Africa.
	Eschscholzia (California Poppy genus) About 12 species, native to North America. In southern Africa, the California Poppy Eschscholzia californica is cultivated in gardens and has also become naturalised as a weed.
	Glaucium About 23 species, native from the Canary Islands and Europe through to central Asia. Glaucium corniculatum has been recorded as a garden escape in southern Africa. Glaucium flavum (Sea poppy, Horned poppy) is also cultivated in southern Africa.
Fumarioideae
	Fumaria About 50 species (mainly Mediterranean, extending to central Asia, also Atlantic Islands and one in tropical Africa. Fumaria muralis and Fumaria parviflora are introduced weeds in southern Africa. Fumaria officinalis (Fumitory) is indigenous to Europe and is cultivated in the region.

Other genera, cultivated in southern Africa

List from Glen (2002). The species name is provided for genera with only one recorded species cultivated in southern Africa.

Papaveroideae
	Romneya coulteri (Matilija poppy) Indigenous to California.
	Hunnemannia fumariiifolia (Mexican tulip, Mexican poppy) Indigenous to northwest Mexico.
	Eomecon chionantha Indigenous to China.
	Hylomecon japonica Indigenous from eastern Siberia to Japan.
	Chelidonium majus (Greater celandine) Indigenous to Eurasia.
	Macleaya Two species cultivated.
	Bocconia frutescens (Tree celandine) Indigenous to the West Indies and Central America.
Fumarioideae
	Dicentra formosa (Dutchman's breeches) Indigenous to western USA and Canada.

Publications

Jordaan, M. 2000a. Papaveraceae. In: Seed Plants of Southern Africa (ed. O.A. Leistner). Strelitzia 10: 433-434. National Botanical Institute, Pretoria.
Jordaan, M. 2000b. Fumariaceae. In: Seed Plants of Southern Africa (ed. O.A. Leistner). Strelitzia 10: 308-309. National Botanical Institute, Pretoria.
Glen, H.F. 2002. Cultivated Plants of Southern Africa. Jacana, Johannesburg.