Less commonly available is the delicately nutty seed oil, highly esteemed in gourmet cuisines.īut poppy has a secret power, and it flows within its fleshy stems, leaves and unripe seed capsules: its milky latex. We use them as toppings of bread rolls and bagels, or as cake fillings. The seed pods hold a myriad of tiny poppy seeds, a familiar item of the kitchen larder. The fleeting splendour only lasts a few days before the petals fall, revealing a bulging seed pod. Their papery petals gently waft in the summer's breeze - alas, it is a short-lived beauty. The delicate Poppy flowers are beautiful to behold. Image by Peter Kraayvanger from Cultural History But when they appeared on their shores, Eastern tribes adopted their medicinal uses, which they learned from the Europeans. Opium Poppies are not native to the New World. Although the Scarlet Poppy has historically also been used medicinally, its action is much milder than that of Papaver somniferum. This species is much smaller, has scarlet-red petals and small, elongated seed capsules. In early summer, the related Scarlet Poppy (Papaver rhoeas) can often be seen in cornfields and verges. Poppies like to grow in association with corn. The Papaver genus comprises about 100 species that occur throughout the temperate regions of the world. Poppies are popular as ornamentals, and breeders have developed dozens of varieties of different colours and flower arrangements. Today, poppies are even found as far north as Britain. But, most researchers now agree that the Mediterranean region of Asia Minor is its most likely ‘original home’.įrom this strategically advantageous position, they spread east into Asia, south into North Africa and north into Central Europe. It is difficult to establish with any certainty just where Papaver somniferum originated or who its genetic parents might have been. Tiny holes are formed underneath the rim, allowing the tiny, white or bluish-black seeds can disperse. The seed capsule of Papaver somniferum is almost spherical and has a star-shaped, flattened lid. When any green part is cut or wounded, a milky latex oozes out and turns brown as it dries. Botanists describe this feature as glaucous. All green parts of the plant are covered by a greyish-blue waxy substance that is easily rubbed off. The leaves are indented and clasp the stem. The erect stems and large wavy leaves have a tough, rubbery texture. Individual plants grow to between 70 cm, and 130 cm tall. After the flower has been fertilized, the petals drop off, leaving the seed capsule exposed as it swells and ripens like a pregnant belly. At the base of the flower sits a prominent, many-rayed stigma surrounded by a mass of stamens. The delicate petals give the impression of a butterfly that is just about to take off. Their sturdy stems and large leaves make a stark contrast to their large but oddly flimsy flowers. Among the great Greek figures, Hypnos (Roman counterpart Somnus), the god of sleep, had power over both men and gods.Opium Poppies are nothing if not showy. Although he may not be one of the most important gods in the Greek pantheon, he was powerful enough to put Zeus to sleep. Here’s a closer look at Hypnos, a primordial deity. In Greek mythology, Hypnos was a primordial deity, the first celestial beings who lived on the earth. Hypnos is said to be the son of Nyx, goddess of night, and the twin brother of Thanatos, the god of death.Īs the god of sleep, he had the power to induce sleep on all creatures. In some accounts, he is said to have no father some others state that he was the son of Nyx and Erebus.Īccording to some sources Hypnos lived in a dark cave in the underworld with Thanatos. The cave was out of reach of sunlight and had poppies, flowers which are known to induce sleep, at the entrance. However, in the Iliad, Homer places his dwelling in the island of Lemnos. According toOvid’s Metamorphoses, he lives in a cave in the land of the Cimmerian and that the Lethe, the river of forgetfulness and oblivion, crosses to the cave. In terms of appearance, Hypnos is depicted as a young man with wings on his shoulders or his head. He was normally seen with a horn, the stem of a poppy, or with water from the Lethe to induce sleep. Their three sons, named Morpheus, Icelus, and Phantaus were the Oneiroi, who were the dreams in Greek mythology.Īccording to some myths, Morpheus, who created dreams about men, was the chief of the three. The other two, Icelus and Phantasus, created dreams about animals and inanimate things. One of the most famous stories connected to Hypnos relates to his ability to put even the great god Zeus to sleep, not once but twice.
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