Papaveraceae

Non-woody (herbaceous) annuals, biennials or perennials, from taproots, bulblets, tubers, or rhizomes; plants sometimes delicate and succulent. Sap clear, white, or colored, often sticky. Stems sometimes none, with leaves and flowers arising from the ground on separate stalks; stems when present leafy, erect, curved, sprawling along the ground or climbing, simple or branching.

Leaves basal and/or along stems, simple or deeply dissected and compound, with or without lobes, stalked or not; stem leaves alternate, opposite or whorled; stipules none.

Flowers solitary or multiple in panicles, racemes, cymes or corymbs; usually on stalks, bracts usually present. Each flower producing both pollen and seeds; either bilaterally or radially symmetrical. Petals usually 4 (8-16 in Bloodroot); separate, fused only at the base, or almost completely fused; all petals identical or 2 petals much different from the other 2, sometimes swollen or spurred basally. Sepals 2-3, persisting or quickly falling off as flower opens, separate or fused. Stamens 6 to many, the stalks separate to partially or fully fused, sometimes attached to the petals at the base. Carpels 2-18, fused to form 1 pistil; ovary usually located above point of attachment of other flower parts (superior); style 1 or none; stigmas or stigma lobes 2-many. Fruits are capsules containing many small seeds; seeds are released when capsules split open lengthwise or, in Poppies, when capsules develop pores that open below a flattened persistent stigma.