yellow horned poppy

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• yellow horned-poppy
• Yellow Horned Poppy
• horned-poppy
• sea-poppy
• Yellow Hornpoppy
• sea poppy

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Glaucium luteum var. fulvum
• Glaucium glabrum
• Glaucium flavum var. vestitum
• Glaucium luteum var. floribus-fulvis
• Chelidonium glaucium
• Chelidonium glaucum
• Chelidonium littorale
• Glaucium glaucum
• Glaucium fischeri
• Glaucium flavum f. obtusilobum
• Glaucium flavum var. plenum
• Glaucium fulvum
• Glaucium littorale
• Glaucium luteum var. vestitum
• Glaucium maculatum
• Glaucium richardsonii
• Glaucium serpieri
• Chelidonium fulvum
• Glaucium corniculatum var. flavum
• Glaucium corniculatum var. fulvum
• Glaucium corniculatum f. sublobatum
• Glaucium corniculatum f. grandiflorum
• Glaucium luteum var. glabratum
• Glaucium flavum var. fulvum
• Glaucium flavum var. serpieri
• Glaucium flavum f. subleiocarpum
• Glaucium flavum var. glabratum

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, falling under the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae. Within the order Ranunculales, it is classified under the family Papaveraceae. Finally, it is identified by the genus Glaucium.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant is widely distributed across several regions within Northern Europe. Specifically, its presence can be observed in the coastal areas of Denmark. It is also found throughout the landscapes of Great Britain and Ireland. Furthermore, the species extends its range into the territories of Norway. Finally, the geographical reach of this medicinal plant includes Sweden.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Glaucium flavum is characterized by its ability to thrive in diverse and often challenging environments, ranging from coastal shores and sandy expanses to stony places and mountainous terrains. It occupies a specific altitudinal niche, typically found within an elevational range between 500 m and 1000 m AMSL. In these habitats, the plant demonstrates specialized survival strategies suited to well-drained or nutrient-poor substrates, such as sand and rocky soils. Furthermore, its biological associations are distinct in that it does not form mycorrhizal relationships, operating without the presence of mycorrhiza to assist in nutrient uptake.

Elevational range max:

1000 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

500 m AMSL

Habitat :

mountains, sand, shores, stony places

Mycorrhiza :

no

Life history

The life history of Glaucium flavum is characterized by a biennial lifecycle, though it can occasionally exhibit variable growth patterns depending on environmental conditions. As a hemicryptophyte, the plant survives the unfavorable seasons by keeping its perennable buds at or just below the soil surface, protected by leaf litter or soil. This species is distinctly deciduous, shedding its foliage as part of its seasonal cycle. Its structural development and survival strategies are fundamentally defined by this hemicryptophytic life form, which allows it to navigate the shifting coastal or sandy habitats it typically inhabits.

Deciduousness :

deciduous

Life form :

hemicryptophyte

Lifecycle :

biennial

Morphology

The morphology of Glaucium flavum is characterized by its growth form as a non-woody herb, specifically categorized as a forb. This terrestrial plant exhibits an erect shoot orientation and functions as a self-supporting organism, lacking any climbing or parasitic tendencies, as it is an independent species rather than an obligate or facultative parasite or epiphyte. In terms of stature, the plant typically reaches an average height of approximately 0.399 m, though individual specimens may vary in size, ranging from a minimum height of 0.2 m to a maximum of 1 m.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Growth form :

forb

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

1 m

Plant height mean:

0.399 m

Plant height min:

0.2 m

Shoot orientation :

erect

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiology of Glaucium flavum is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway and a non-carnivorous nutritional strategy, relying on soil nutrients rather than insect capture. The plant does not possess the ability to fix nitrogen, necessitating the uptake of nitrogenous compounds directly from its environment. Its leaf morphology is defined by a pinnatifid form, with leaves reaching a maximum length of 20 cm and maintaining a consistent width of 8 cm (where the mean, minimum, and maximum width all converge at 8 cm). The average leaf size is recorded at 49.86 cm², which, when paired with a mean Specific Leaf Area (SLA) of 169.8 cm²/g, provides insight into the plant's leaf mass per area and its resource allocation strategies for light interception and gas exchange.

Carnivory :

non-carnivorous

Leaf form :

pinnatifid

Leaf length max:

20 cm

Leaf size mean:

49.86 cm²

Leaf width mean:

8 cm

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Specific Leaf Area (SLA) mean:

169.8 cm²/g

Reproduction

The reproduction of Glaucium flavum is characterized by a biotic pollination process, specifically utilizing an insect pollination syndrome where bees play a key role. The flowering period is relatively brief, typically beginning in June and concluding in July, featuring vibrant yellow flowers that can reach a maximum length of 3.5 cm. This species is monocarpic and relies on sexual reproduction, as asexual reproduction is absent, and self-fertilization is also noted to be absent, ensuring genetic diversity through cross-pollination. Following successful fertilization, the plant develops a dehiscent capsule as its fruit type. These capsules vary in size, with a mean length of 20 cm (ranging from 15 cm to a maximum of 30 cm) and a mean width of 0.5 cm. The resulting seeds are quite small, with a mean mass of approximately 0.00102 g, though they can range from a minimum of 0.00033 g to a maximum of 0.00136 g. Finally, the dispersal syndrome for the seeds is classified as unspecialized, meaning they do not rely on a specific highly evolved mechanism for distribution.

Dehiscence :

dehiscent

Dispersal syndrome :

unspecialized

Flower colour :

yellow

Flower length max:

3.5 cm

Flowering time :

Jun

Flowering time :

Jul

Fruit length max:

30 cm

Fruit length mean:

20 cm

Fruit length min:

15 cm

Fruit type :

capsule

Fruit width mean:

0.5 cm

Monocarpy :

monocarp

Pollination syndrome :

insect

Pollination syndrome :

bee

Pollination syndrome :

biotic

Reproduction asexual :

absent

Seed mass max:

0.00136 g

Seed mass mean:

0.00101966666666667 g

Seed mass min:

0.00033 g

Self fertilization :

absent

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Glaucium flavum has 4 reported plant parts identified across 4 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include fruit, leaf, root, stem.

Fruit

1. Microbios

Leaf

1. Microbios

Root

1. Microbios

Stem

1. Microbios

Chemicals

Glaucium flavum has 30 reported phytochemicals identified across 4 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Glaucine, protopine, CHELIDONINE, Isoboldine, SANGUINARINE.

Glaucine

1. Dr. Duke
2. Biology bulletin of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR. Akademiia nauk SSSR
3. Die Pharmazie
4. Plant physiology

protopine

1. Dr. Duke
2. Biology bulletin of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR. Akademiia nauk SSSR
3. Oxidative medicine and cellular longevity

CHELIDONINE

1. Dr. Duke
2. Oxidative medicine and cellular longevity

Isoboldine

1. Dr. Duke
2. Die Pharmazie

SANGUINARINE

1. Dr. Duke
2. Oxidative medicine and cellular longevity

3-O-METHYLARTERENOL

1. Die Pharmazie

Aurotensine

1. Dr. Duke

Bulbocapnine

1. Journal of pharmaceutical sciences

CALCIUM

1. Plant physiology and biochemistry : PPB

Cataline

1. Dr. Duke

Activities

Glaucium flavum has 109 reported activities identified across 4 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Analgesic, Antioxidant, Antitussive, Antiviral, Hypoglycemic.

Analgesic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Die Pharmazie

Antioxidant

1. Dr. Duke
2. Die Pharmazie

Antitussive

1. Dr. Duke
2. Die Pharmazie

Antiviral

1. Dr. Duke
2. Die Pharmazie

Hypoglycemic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Die Pharmazie

12-Lipoxygenase-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

5-Lipoxygenase-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

Abortifacient

1. Dr. Duke

Acidulant

1. Dr. Duke

Adrenalytic

1. Dr. Duke

Medicinal Uses

Glaucium flavum has 11 reported medicinal uses identified across 4 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include Alzheimer's disease, Cancer, analgesic, anti-cholinesterase, antioxidant.

Most Reported Uses

Preparations