A genus of the plant family Papaveraceae, the poppy family. Includes A. mexicana, A. ochroleuca, A. subfusiformis; contains isoquinoline alkaloids including sanguinarine, which causes mucosal irritation and also interference with pyruvate oxidation in brain tissue. The sanguinarine is excreted in cows’ milk and may be linked to the occurrence of endemic primary glaucoma of humans. The seeds of A. mexicana and A. ochroleuca are frequent contaminants of grain fed to chicken, causing low egg production, edema, ataxia, comb cyanosis and gastroenteritis. Dried plants in hay may cause chronic heart failure in cattle. Called also Mexican poppy.

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Poppy family
Papaveraceae

Are-jem'o-nee. The prickly poppies are tropical American herbs of perhaps 30 species, one very widely grown.

Description
Stout with yellow juice, the cut leaves more or less toothed and spiny-margined. Flowers large, with 2 or 3 sepals and 4-6 rather showy petals.

How to Grow
Start seeds indoors in peat pots. When frost is past, move outdoors. Or plant seeds outdoors when soil is warm. Space 2-3 ft. (60-90 cm) apart. Add lime to soil and make sure drainage is good. Argemones do not transplant well. They prefer warm weather.

Argemone mexicana
Mexican Poppy . To 3 ft. (90 cm) high. Flowers 1 Ɖ-2 Ɖ in. (4-6 cm) across, yellow, scented. West Indies. Oil is obtained from the seeds. Half-hardy annual.

Argemone munita
Prickly Poppy . 2-5 ft. (0.6-1.5 m) high. Flowers white, 2-5 in. (5.0-12.5 cm) wide. Calif. and n. Baja, Mexico, to N. Mex. Half-hardy annual.

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IN BRIEF: n. - Any plant of a particular genus having large white or yellow flowers and prickly leaves and stems and pods.

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