Argemone mexicana

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Common names: Mexican pricklypoppy; Mexican poppy

Argemone mexicana
Arge mexi.jpg
Photo by Keith Bradley, Atlas of Florida Vascular Plants
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Magnoliophyta - Flowering plants
Class: Magnoliopsida - Dicotyledons
Order: Papaverales
Family: Papaveraceae
Genus: Argemone
Species: A. mexicana
Binomial name
Argemone mexicana
L.
ARGE MEXI dist.jpg
Natural range of Argemone mexicana from USDA NRCS Plants Database.

Taxonomic notes

Synonym: none.[1]

Varieties: none.[1]

Description

A description of Argemone mexicana is provided in The Flora of North America.

Distribution

It is found across the southeast from peninsular Florida[2], north to Pennsylvania, and west to Arizona. It is also found in Hawaii.[3]

Ecology

Habitat

In the Coastal Plain, A. mexicana can be found in loamy soils of mesic woodlands and in disturbed areas, such as sandy roadsides and citrus groves.[4][2] It is native to peninsular Florida.[2]

Phenology

It flowers from April to May, and sometimes in August.[2][5]


Pollination

Argemone mexicana has been observed at the Archbold Biological Station with bees such as Apis mellifera (family Apidae) and sweat bees from the Halictidae family such as Halictus poeyi and Lasioglossum puteulanum.[6]


Conservation, cultivation, and restoration

The plant is commonly found as a weed in livestock fields and cereal grains, and is dangerous even in low doses to poultry.[7]

Cultural use

The plant is considered poisonous, but is not usually a problem except in cases of the seeds mixing into homegrown corn, oats, and wheat. Ingesting the seeds or leaves can cause a variety of severe symptoms including bodily swelling, fainting, and coma.[8]

Photo Gallery

References and notes

  1. 1.0 1.1 Weakley, A.S. 2015. Flora of the southern and mid-atlantic states. Working Draft of 21 May 2015. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Weakley, Alan S. Flora of the Southern and Mid-Atlantic States: Working Draft of 21 May 2015. University of North Carolina Herbarium (NCU). PDF. 464.
  3. Hardin, J.W., Arena, J.M. 1969. Human Poisoning from Native and Cultivated Plants. Duke University Press, Durham, North Carolina.
  4. Florida State University Robert K. Godfrey Herbarium database. URL: http://herbarium.bio.fsu.edu. Last accessed: October 2015. Collectors: Loran C. Anderson, Leon Neel, R.A. Norris, Cecil R. Slaughter. States and Counties: Florida: Leon, Jackson, Polk. Georgia: Thomas. Compiled by Tall Timbers Research Station and Land Conservancy.
  5. Nelson, G. PanFlora: Plant data for the eastern United States with emphasis on the Southeastern Coastal Plains, Florida, and the Florida Panhandle. www.gilnelson.com/PanFlora/ Accessed: 19 MAY 2021
  6. Deyrup, M.A. 2015. Database of observations of Hymenoptera visitations to flowers of plants on Archbold Biological Station, Florida, USA.
  7. Burrows, G.E., Tyrl, R.J. 2001. Toxic Plants of North America. Iowa State Press.
  8. Hardin, J.W., Arena, J.M. 1969. Human Poisoning from Native and Cultivated Plants. Duke University Press, Durham, North Carolina.