California Poppy
It has alternately branching glaucous blue-green foliage. The leaves are alternately divided into round, lobed segments. Can be poisonous if ingested. The flowers are solitary on long stems, silky-textured, with four petals. Flower color ranges through yellow, orange and red. Flowering occurs from February to September in the northern hemisphere. The petals close at night (or in cold, windy weather) and open again the following morning, although they may remain closed in cloudy weather. The fruit is a slender, dehiscent capsule 3 to 9 cm (1.2 to 3.5 in) long, which splits in two, sometimes explosively with an audible snap, to release numerous small wide black or dark brown seeds.
The California poppy has been historically used as traditional medicine and cosmetics by some indigenous people in California, particularly those native to the regions where the plant is found. In particular, Tongva Gabrielino, Cahuilla, Costanoan, Luiseno, and Pomo have cultural and historical connections with the poppy. These connections involve traditional uses of the plant, cultural significance, and even folklore.The Tongva peoples of the San Gabriel Valley region recognized the California poppy by the term Mekachaa. Such indigenous communities interpret the Mekechaa as a plant relative, and actively resisted attempts to appropriate its existence through artistic community projects.[24] In Waa'aka', the final plant created by the Tongva's god of creation, Wiyot, was the Island poppy, described as "golden as the sun, bringing beauty to the world."
Baker
Baker
Antelope Valley, CA
Plants, leaf and flower anatomy is essential to properly classify
Sky Island vegetation biomes
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