General description:- Herbs with or without latex. Leaves usually spirally arranged, variously dissected. Flowers hermaphrodite, actinomorphic or zygomorphic, hypogynous. Sepals 2(3), caducous. Petals 4-6. Stamens 2, 4 or numerous, whorled. Ovary superior, 1-celled, 2-celled or imperfectly many-celled; carpels 2 to many.
CORYDALIS
Glabrous annuals to perennials with pinnate or ternate leaves and racemose inflorescences. Bracts usually conspicuous. Flowers zygomorphic. Sepals absent. Petals 4, the 2 inner similar, oblong, broadened and coherent at apex; the 2 outer dissimilar, the lower usually somewhat saccate at base, expanded into broad limb at apex, the upper with distinct spur at base and a more or less expanded limb at apex. Style persistent; stigma flattened, with marginal papillae. Fruit an oblong, 2-valved capsule with many seeds. Seeds with conspicuous aril.
1) Style persistent, green
2) Inflorescence racemose; bracts conspicuous
FUMARIA
Annuals with erect, diffuse or climbing stems. Leaves cauline, 2- to 4-pinnatisect. Inflorescence racemose, bracteate, with short pedicels. Sepals 2, lateral. Corolla zygomorphic, consisting of a spurred upper petal, 2 inner petals, and a lower one. Fruit 1-seeded, indehiscent, showing 2 apical pits in the mesocarp when dry.
1) Upper petal spurred; stigma 2-lobed, with a small tooth between lobes.
2) Cauline leaves numerous; flowers in racemes.
In W. Europe mostly weeds of arable land, but in S. & E. Europe found also in rocky, sandy and grassy places.
In this account the measurement of the corolla is that of the largest flowers; cleistogamous or more or less depauperate corollas produced by plants grown in an unfavourable environment are not considered.
Orientation of the wings of the upper petals and the margins of the lower petals can only be determined with certainty when the plant is fresh.
GLAUCIUM
Glaucous; latex yellow. Sepals free. Petals 4, entire. Stigma 2-lobed, sessile over placentae. Capsule linear, 2-celled, opening from above almost to base by 2 valves. Seeds embedded in septum, without aril.
1) Flowers yellow or red; capsule opening by 2 valves
2) Flowers solitary; petals at least 2 cm; capsule 2-celled.
HYPERCOUM
Glabrous, often glaucous annuals. Basal leaves lanceolate, pinnate; ultimate leaflets narrow. Sepals 2, free. Petals 4, at least the inner pair 3-lobed. Stamens 4. Stigmas 2; style short. Capsule a striate lomentum, usually breaking up into 1-seeded portions. Seeds rugose, without aril.
1) Corolla zygomorphic or bisymmetrical
2) Corolla weakly zygomorphic; petals not spurred or saccate.
PAPAVER
Annual, biennial or perennial herbs with latex. Sepals 2 or 3, usually caducous. Petals 4 or 6, usually entire, often bright red, crumpled in bud, usually caducous. Stigmas 4-16, sessile over the placentae. Capsule clavate to globose, opening by valves or pores below the stigmatic disc, or disc deciduous. Seeds reniform, without aril.
1) Latex present; sepals free.
2) Capsule less than 10 times as long as wide, narrowed at base.
3) Style absent; stigmas on a sessile disc at top of ovary.
Sect. PAPAVER. Includes the species, P. apulum, P. argemone, P. somniferum.
Annuals with few to many setose hairs. Leaves incised to pinnatipartite; upper cauline leaves amplexicaul. Filaments filiform or clavate, pale to dark violet. Capsules glabrous.
1) Annual; all stems bearing flowers
2) Filaments clavate; capsule usually setose; stigmatic disc convex
3) Mature capsule at least twice as long as wide, often without setae in lower part; sepals with short subapical processes.
Sect. RHOEADIUM. Includes the species, P. dubium, P. purpureomarginatum, P. rhoeas, P. hybridum.
Annuals with few to many usually setose hairs. Leaves pinnatisect to pinnatipartite; upper cauline leaves not amplexicaul; lower leaves petiolate. Filaments filiform, dark violet. Capsule glabrous.
ROEMERIA
Annuals with yellow latex. Sepals 2, free, caducous. Petals 4, entire, crumpled in bud, caducous. Stigmas 3 or 4, sessile over the placentae. Capsule linear, opening by 2-4 long valves from top to bottom. Seeds reniform, without aril.
1) Capsule more than 10 times as long as wide, ± parallel sided.
2) Flowers violet; capsule opening by 2-4 valves.