Scientific name – Papaver somniferum
Family – Papaveraceae
Poppy Seeds are the nutty oilseeds obtained from the poppy plant, which is a staple condiment apart from garlic and mustard, found in Indian kitchens.
Known by the vernacular names khuskhus in Hindi, kasakasa in Tamil and Gasagasalu in Telugu, this flowering plant is widely cultivated across South eastern Europe and eastern and southern Asia.
Papaver species are erect, annual, biennial or perennial herbs, with milky white, yellowish or orange fluid. Stem simple bristly or rarely glabrous. Leaves mostly pinnatipartite, pinnatifid, pinnatilobed, basal leaves petioled, cauline ones sessile, margin incised, dentate or serrate rarely entire, bristly or glabrous
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