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Meconopsis aculeata

Common name:		Family:	Papaveraceae
Author:	Royle.	Botanical references:	51, 200
Synonyms:
Known Hazards:	The whole plant, but especially the root, is considered to be poisonous, it contains narcotic principles[211, 240].
Range:	E. Asia - W. Himalayas from Pakistan to Uttar Pradesh.
Habitat:	Rocky slopes and damp rocks, 3000 - 4000 metres[51]
Edibility Rating (1-5):	1	Medicinal Rating (1-5):	2

Epithets:	From a Dictionary of Botanical Epithets
	aculeata = with prickles or stings
Systematics:	From a USDA Plants Database
	Order: Papaverales. Poppy family

Physical Characteristics

Perennial growing to 0.6m. It is hardy to zone 7. It is in flower from July to August, and the seeds ripen in September. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs). We rate it 1/5 for edibility and 2/5 for medicinal use.

The plant prefers light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and requires well-drained soil. The plant prefers acid and neutral soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland). It requires moist soil.

Habitats and Possible Locations

Woodland, Dappled Shade, Shady Edge.

Edible Uses

Leaves.

The plant is said to be edible[145] but no further details are known, not even which part of the plant can be eaten.

Medicinal Uses

Disclaimer

Analgesic Febrifuge Narcotic.

The root contains narcotic principles[211, 240].
The entire plant is used in Tibetan medicine, where it is considered to have a bitter taste and a cooling potency[241]. Analgesic and febrifuge, it is used to help heal broken bones, to treat inflammation from fractures and pain in the upper bodily region, especially around the ribs[241].

Other Uses

None known

Cultivation details

Grows best in a woodland soil in partial shade[1, 200]. The soil should be lime-free, moist, well-drained and moderately rich[200]. Dislikes full sun and windy positions[200].
Monocarpic, the plants living for a number of years before flowering but then dying once they flower[200].

Propagation

Seed - best sown in a cold frame as soon as it is ripe in late summer. Spring sown seed is slower to germinate[200]. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out in the summer.

Suppliers

For more details of plant suppliers please see our Suppliers Page which lists many more places to look.

Web References

[E] Ethnobotany Data (common names, uses, countries) from the Ethnobotany Database.
[G] Data (Common Names, Uses, Distribution) from the USDA/ARS NPGS's GRIN taxonomic database.
[HP] Links, Photos, Suppliers from Hortiplex Plant Database

References for the family Papaveraceae.

To be included in the Flora of China.

See the PFAF Links Pages for other sources.

Also try Photos and info from the The Plants Database which has 14,000 images.

References

[1] F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951
Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaces in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [200]).

[51] Polunin. O. and Stainton. A. Flowers of the Himalayas. Oxford Universtiy Press 1984
A very readable and good pocket guide (if you have a very large pocket!) to many of the wild plants in the Himalayas. Gives many examples of plant uses.

[145] Singh. Dr. G. and Kachroo. Prof. Dr. P. Forest Flora of Srinagar. Bishen Singh Mahendra Pal Singh 1976
A good flora of the western Himalayas but poorly illustrated. Some information on plant uses.

[200] Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.

[211] Coventry. B. O. Wild Flowers of Kashmir Raithby, Lawrence and Co. 1923
A nice little pocket guide to 50 wildflowers of Kashmir. This is part one of three, we have not seen the other two volumes

[240] Chopra. R. N., Nayar. S. L. and Chopra. I. C. Glossary of Indian Medicinal Plants (Including the Supplement). Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi. 1986
Very terse details of medicinal uses of plants with a wide range of references and details of research into the plants chemistry. Not for the casual reader.

[241] Tsarong. Tsewang. J. Tibetan Medicinal Plants Tibetan Medical Publications, India 1994 ISBN 81-900489-0-2
A nice little pocket guide to the subject with photographs of 95 species and brief comments on their uses.

Readers Comments

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Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future - Species Database. Copyright (c) 1997-2003.
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We make no claims of magical effects or supernatural powers for any item in this catalog. In spite of legendary attributes or occult and craft tradition, such items are offered as curios only and beliefs concerning their magical effectiveness are related only for historical interest.