papaver somniferum

4 definitions found

papaver somniferum - Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 :

  Opium \O"pi*um\, n. [L., fr. Gr. ? poppy juice, dim. of ?
     vegetable juice.] (Chem.)
     The inspissated juice of the Papaver somniferum, or white
     poppy.
     [1913 Webster]
  
     Note: Opium is obtained from incisions made in the capsules
           of the plant, and the best flows from the first
           incision. It is imported into Europe and America
           chiefly from the Levant, and large quantities are sent
           to China from India, Persia, and other countries. It is
           of a brownish yellow color, has a faint smell, and
           bitter and acrid taste. It is a stimulant narcotic
           poison, which may produce hallicinations, profound
           sleep, or death. It is much used in medicine to soothe
           pain and inflammation, and is smoked as an intoxicant
           with baneful effects.
           [1913 Webster]
  
     Opium joint, a low resort of opium smokers. [Slang]
        [1913 Webster]

  opianine \o"pi*a*nine\, n. (Chem.)
     An alkaloid (C22H23NO7) found in small quantity in opium.
     It is identical with narcotine. It is present in amounts up
     to 11% in Papaver somniferum, and is used clinically as an
     antitussive. --MI11
  
     Syn: noscapine; narcosine; opian.
          [1913 Webster +PJC]

  Poppy \Pop"py\, n.; pl. Poppies. [OE. popy, AS. popig, L.
     papaver.] (Bot.)
     Any plant or species of the genus Papaver, herbs with showy
     polypetalous flowers and a milky juice. From one species
     (Papaver somniferum) opium is obtained, though all the
     species contain it to some extent; also, a flower of the
     plant. See Illust. of Capsule.
     [1913 Webster]
  
     California poppy (Bot.), any yellow-flowered plant of the
        genus Eschscholtzia.
  
     Corn poppy. See under Corn.
  
     Horn poppy, or Horned poppy. See under Horn.
  
     Poppy bee (Zool.), a leaf-cutting bee (Anthocopa  papaveris
        ) which uses pieces cut from poppy petals for
        the lining of its cells; -- called also upholsterer bee.
        
  
     Prickly poppy (Bot.), Argemone Mexicana, a
        yellow-flowered plant of the Poppy family, but as prickly
        as a thistle.
  
     Poppy seed, the seed the opium poppy (Papaver  somniferum
        ).
  
     Spatling poppy (Bot.), a species of Silene (Silene  inflata
        ). See Catchfly.
        [1913 Webster] Poppy

papaver somniferum - WordNet (r) 2.1 (2005) :

  Papaver somniferum
      n 1: southwestern Asian herb with greyish leaves and white or
           reddish flowers; source of opium [syn: opium poppy,
           Papaver somniferum]