Celandine Poppy

(Stylophorum diphyllum)

 

   

 

Line Drawing: Britton, N.L., and A. Brown. 1913. An Illustrated Flora of the Northern United States and Canada, Second Edition.

 

Celandine Poppy (Stylophorum diphyllum  (Michx.) Nutt.)

Identification: Flowers large, yellow, delicate with 4 petals. Seed pod ovate, hairy, with a pronounced beak. Leaves deeply dissected, upper leaves occurring in opposite pairs. Stem hairy. Latex from stem yellow. Plant 10 to 16 inches in height.

Distribution: Michigan in the west to Pennsylvania in the east, southward to Georgia and Arkansas.

Habitat: Celandine Poppy is found in rich, moist woods.

Flowering period: March to May.

Similar Species: Celandine Poppy might be confused with Celandine. However the flower is larger, the seed pods are ovate and hairy, not elongate and smooth, and the upper leaves are in opposite pairs, not single and alternate.

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