The poppy belongs to the Papaveraceae family.
Amapola is a term that comes from ababol . Both concepts, in fact, are used as synonyms in eastern Spain , according to the dictionary of the Royal Spanish Academy ( RAE ).
Before diving into the definition of poppy, it is worth analyzing the etymology of ababol. The notion derives from the Hispanic Arabic ḥappapáwr[a], in turn coming from the Latin papāver , which is influenced by the Arabic ḥabb (translatable as “seeds” ).
What is a poppy
Poppy is an annual plant that has blackish seeds and generally reddish flowers. The species of this genus belong to the Papaveraceae family group.
Although the characteristics depend on each species , poppies typically have flowers with multiple stamens, two or three sepals and four to six petals that can be violet, white, yellow or red. The fruit, meanwhile, is capsule-shaped.
It should be noted that different plants that are not part of this genus , but that present some traits similar to those exhibited by the common poppy, are also mentioned as poppies. That is the case of Roemeria hybrida (known as purple poppy ) and Meconopsis cambrica ( yellow poppy ).
Characteristics of Papaver rhoeas
Papaver rhoeas is the scientific name of the species mentioned as wild poppy or common poppy . This plant has upright stems, alternate leaves and deep red bell-shaped flowers .
Although the leaves contain a sedative alkaloid, they can be cooked and eaten in a similar way to spinach. They are also used in a traditional herbal mixture from the Italian region of Liguria called prebugiún or preboggion .
Other parts of the common poppy that are used in cooking are the petals (used in the preparation of drinks and syrups) and the seeds (used as a condiment ).
Opium comes from the royal poppy.
The royal poppy and opium
One of the best-known poppies is the royal poppy , scientific name Papaver somniferum . Its popularity is linked to its sap , characterized by the high level of alkaloids and used to produce opium (from which heroin , morphine and other substances are obtained).
The royal poppy measures up to 1.5 meters. Its flowers can be red, violet, pink or white.
Through incisions in the capsules of the royal poppy, a type of latex is extracted which then, after drying, is transformed into a resin . Scraping this resin makes it possible to obtain opium, which contains drugs such as the aforementioned heroin and morphine.
Opium causes drowsiness, relaxation and tingling. It is usually smoked by first diluting it with water and then heating it until the liquid evaporates. It should be noted that consumption is prohibited since it causes addiction and produces multiple health problems.
Name of woman and rock band and movie title
Amapola is also a feminine name . We can mention, in this framework, the Filipino singer and actress María Amapola Cabase .
In Spain , a 1926 film directed by José Martín and starring Alfredo Hurtado is titled “Amapola” . The title is also shared by a 2014 film directed by Eugenio Zanetti that has Camilla Belle , François Arnaud , Lito Cruz and Geraldine Chaplin in its cast, among other figures.
Amapola , finally, was a rock band formed in Chile in the 1980s . Patricio Vera was the leader of the group.