Papaver Somniferum (Noun)
Meaning
Southwestern Asian herb with greyish leaves and white or reddish flowers; source of opium.
Classification
Nouns denoting plants.
Examples
- Papaver somniferum, commonly known as the opium poppy, is a species of flowering plant in the family Papaveraceae.
- The cultivation of papaver somniferum is tightly regulated in many countries due to its potential for misuse as a source of illicit narcotics.
- In traditional medicine, the seeds of papaver somniferum have been used for their antispasmodic and sedative properties.
- Papaver somniferum has been a major source of income for many farmers in the regions where it is grown.
- The use of papaver somniferum as a source of morphine and other opioid alkaloids has been documented for thousands of years.