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Argemone mexicana

L. (1753)

This name is accepted

Kingdom: Viridiplantae Phylum: Magnoliophyta Class/Clade: Ranunculopsida Order: Ranunculales Family: Papaveraceae Genus: Argemone

Mexican poppy

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Description

Key Characters:

Growth Form: Annual herbs.

Stems: Stems 2.5–10 dm long, branched, sparsely to moderately covered with prickles.

Roots:

Leaves: Leaves simple. Alternate. Blades oblong–oblanceolate, pinnately lobed ½–¾ to midrib. Surfaces glaucous, margin teeth tipped with a prickle, both surfaces sparsely covered with prickles along veins. Margins somewhat sinuate–dentate, the teeth tipped with a prickle. Simple leaves sessile, upper ones usually somewhat clasping the stem. Stipules absent.

Flowers: Flowers terminal, solitary. Flowers bisexual (perfect), actinomorphic, buds subglobose, 1.2–1.6 cm long, sparsely prickly. Calyx of (2)3(–6) sepals each with a subterminal horn tipped by a prickle, horns terete (cylindrical), 5–10 mm long, caducous. Petals bright yellow, distinct, 1.7–3 cm long. Stamens 30–50; anthers linear, coiled after dehiscence, dithecal, opening by longitudinal slits. Ovary superior, 4–6-carpellate, 1-celled; stigma 3–7-lobed.

Fruit: Capsules oblong to broadly ellipsoid; 3–4.2 cm long; each valve with 9–15 prickles; the longest one 7–10 mm long. Seeds numerous; 1.2–1.5 mm in diameter; subglobose; reticulate; endosperm oily.

Ploidy: 2n = 28

Habitat: Dry; disturbed habitats.

Elevation Range:

Historical Distribution

Images

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Uses and Culture

USES

Natural History

Statewide Status

Naturalized

Island Status

Kaua'i Naturalized
O'ahu Naturalized
Molokai Naturalized
Lana'i Naturalized
Maui Naturalized

Dispersal Agents

Water/Ocean
Other Animals

Pollinators

Bibliography

Name Published In: Sp. Pl.: 508 (1753)

Other References

Wagner et al. 1990:1005 (K, O, M [A. ochroleuca Sweet was collected as a roadside weed by the Degeners at Kunia Road, O, in 1958, in 1985 it was re-IDed as A. mexicana]); Wysong et al. 2007:6 (Mo); Oppenheimer & Bogner 2019:23 (L)

Occurrences

SNo. Scientific Name Locality Habitat Basis of Record Description Recorded By Record Number Island Source Date
1 Argemone mexicana Waialua. From Kemoo-3, Waialua Sugar Co Preserved_Specimen Poppy along irrigation ditch Kunimitsu, K. Oahu BISH 1986-05-09
2 Argemone mexicana East Maui, along Hana Hwy., just E of Kuau, Common on distrurbed road banks and cane roads Preserved_Specimen Hobdy, R.W. 2886 Maui BISH 1987-06-23
3 Argemone mexicana Near Kunia, along Kunia Rd. Ewa District Preserved_Specimen Robust glaucous herb to .5 m ht. Midrib white on upper surface of leaves. capsule 5 cm long, 6-valved, style wanting. Sap yellow; Corolla yellow, obovate, 30mm long, 20 mm wide. Nagata, K.M. 2462 Oahu BISH 1982-05-09
4 Argemone mexicana Koloa, on main cane road to Mahaulepu past the Koloa Mill Preserved_Specimen Flowers bright yellow. Sap yellow-green with an unpleasant odor Flynn, T.W. 721 Kauai BISH 1984-01-04
5 Argemone mexicana East Maui, Hana Rd. 0.5 mi E of Paia; edge of road Preserved_Specimen Small colony of plants; flws yellow. Christ, J.H. Maui BISH 1957-07-12
6 Argemone mexicana Keomuku Rd., N of the intersection with Awehi JRd., between Kikoa Pt., and Makaiwa Scattered along unpaved roadside in sandy soil in Kiawe Forest. Preserved_Specimen Oppenheimer, H.L. 41901 Lanai BISH 2019-04-03
7 Argemone mexicana East Island, upper Paia, behind old gymnasium in weedy cane field Preserved_Specimen Hobdy, R.W. 1769 Maui BISH 1983-06-12
8 Argemone mexicana Anahola to Kealia, cane haul rd., near seacoast Preserved_Specimen Flower yellow St.John, H. Kauai BISH 1978-06-11
9 Argemone mexicana Foster Park, Honolulu Preserved_Specimen Petals yellow; stigmas red-purple Caum, E.L. Oahu BISH 1934-04-09
10 Argemone mexicana West Maui, Waihee. Preserved_Specimen Funk, E.J. 1302 Maui BISH 1990-05-14
11 Argemone mexicana Mokleia beach, from Kunia Rd., North Shore Preserved_Specimen Degener, O. 25135 Oahu BISH 1959-08-08
12 Argemone mexicana Honolulu: Manoa Valley; University of Hawaii Manoa Campus, Sherman Laboratory Preserved_Specimen Herbs up to 1 m tall, in full sun or partial shade. A buttercup yellow latex is exuded when the plant is cut. Flwr canary; not fragrant (noon) Lau, J. 1166 Oahu BISH 1985-06-30
13 Argemone mexicana Kalaupapa, W end, near Puwahi Grassy. Preserved_Specimen Oppenheimer, H.L. 60729 Molokai BISH 2007-06-30
14 Argemone mexicana Waihanau, near slaughterhouse. Kalaupapa National Historical Park Maintained near grass field. Preserved_Specimen Caulescent annual herb. Garnett, W. Molokai BISH 2004-04-01
15 Argemone mexicana UH campus, Sherman Laboratory Preserved_Specimen Herbs up to 1 m tall, in full sun or partial shade. A buttercup yellow latex is exuded when the plant is cut. Flwr canary; not fragrant (noon) Lau, J. 1166 Oahu BISH 1985-06-30
16 Argemone mexicana S end of Kunia Rd Sparingly naturalized along roadside. Preserved_Specimen Degener, O. 24660 Oahu BISH 1958-04-20
17 Argemone mexicana Mauka of Lana`I City, near Kaiholena and Iwiole Gulches, north of Nininiwai Hill. at edge of waste area with other weeds from discarded yard clippings. Preserved_Specimen Naturalized Bogner, K. 21 Lanai BISH 2018-06-18
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