What is "papaver somniferum"

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.

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.

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.

Opium joint, a low resort of opium smokers. [Slang]

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.

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 (Zo["o]l.), 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.

Papaver somniferum, the opium poppy, is a species of flowering plant in the family Papaveraceae. It is the species of plant from which opium and poppy seeds are derived and is a valuable ornamental plant, grown in gardens. Its native range is probably the eastern Mediterranean, but is now obscured by ancient introductions and cultivation.

The opium poppy is the only species of Papaveraceae that is grown as an agricultural crop on a large scale. Other poppy species, such as Papaver rhoeas and Papaver argemone, are important agricultural weeds, and may be mistaken for the crop.