southwestern pricklypoppy

Argemone pleiacantha Greene

Argemone pleiacantha, known as the southwestern pricklypoppy, is a species in the Papaveraceae family. It is native to Arizona, New Mexico, and parts of Mexico, including Chihuahua and Sonora. This plant thrives in dry woodlands and on slopes in foothills and mountains. It is an annual or perennial herb with erect, branching stems up to 1.5 meters tall, covered in prickles. The leaves are blue-green and divided into sharp, toothlike lobes. The flower buds, up to 2 cm long and prickly, open into large, showy white-petalled flowers that can reach 16 cm in width. The fruit is a prickly capsule up to 4.5 cm long.

Description

Argemone pleiacantha is a member of the poppy family (Papaveraceae) and is commonly referred to as the southwestern pricklypoppy. It is found in dry woodlands and on slopes in Arizona, New Mexico, and parts of Mexico, including Chihuahua and Sonora. The plant is either an annual or perennial herb with erect, branching stems that can grow up to 1.5 meters in height. It is densely covered in prickles. The blue-green leaves are sharply lobed, giving them a toothlike appearance. The flower buds are up to 2 cm long and also prickly, and they open into large, white-petalled flowers that can measure up to 16 cm in diameter. The plant produces a fruit in the form of a capsule, up to 4.5 cm in length, which is also covered in prickles.