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Papaver radicatum
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Order:	Ranunculales
Family:	Papaveraceae
Genus:	Papaver
Species:	P. radicatum
Binomial name
	Papaver radicatum; Rottb.
Synonyms
	Papaver polare (Tolm.) Perfil.;

Arctic poppy (Papaver radicatum) is a flowering plant in the Papaveraceae family. It may also be referred to as rooted poppy or yellow poppy. Arctic poppies grow in cold climate conditions and are found in arctic regions throughout the world. Arctic poppies have adaptations, such as heliotropism and physical characteristics, which help them survive in the harsh environment they grow in.

Taxonomy

The Flora of North America lists four subspecies:

Papaver radicatum subsp. alaskanum (Hultén) J. P. Anderson
Papaver radicatum subsp. kluanensis (D. Löve) D. F. Murray
Papaver radicatum subsp. polare Tolmatchew
Papaver radicatum subsp. radicatum

Appearance

Arctic poppy leaves grow up to 12cm long. The leaves are green and lanceolate in shape. The arctic poppy is known for either their white or yellow flowers; these flowers can grow up to 6.5 cm in diameter. The arctic poppy stems range from 10 to 15 cm in length. Arctic poppies produce spherical or oval seed pods that are covered by fine hairs. ^[2]

Arctic poppy petals are covered by black hairs, which along with their cup shaped petals, help to insulate the poppy by trapping heat inside the flower.^[3] Hair-like structures are also found covering the stem and sepals of the arctic poppy. These hairs are used to retain heat and act as insulation against the cold, windy climate conditions that arctic poppies grow in.^[4]

Distribution

Arctic poppy grows primarily in gravelly, rocky, well-drained soils, but can also grow in meadows. ^[5] The poppies are circumpolar in distribution and are found in arctic and alpine zones within Europe, North America, and Asia.^[6]^[7] In 2023, arctic poppy was the northernmost flowering plant in the world,^[8] with a northern range limit on Kaffeklubben Island^[9] at a latitude of 83°40'N.

Pollination

Arctic poppy, like many species of flowers, rely on pollination for reproduction. In the early spring, when snow starts to melt, the arctic poppy blooms. Around the same time, arctic bumblebees (Bombus polaris) begin their pollination process, making arctic bumblebee the main pollinator of arctic poppies. As spring transitions to summer, bumblebee pollination begins to decline, and flies take over the place of the bumblebee's pollination of arctic poppies. ^[10]

Toxicity

Arctic poppies contain alkaloids throughout the entirety of the flower structure, from the stem to the leaves. ^[11] These alkaloids protect and assist the survival of arctic poppy in a number of ways. When arctic poppies are consumed, the alkaloids within the poppy can affect the central nervous system, protein synthesis, enzyme activity, and membrane transport of the predator. Because of these effects, the arctic poppy is not a direct food source for many species. ^[11] Alkaloids are known to act as a growth regulator and can aid in the plant's reproduction rates. ^[11] Alkaloids can even act as herbicides, which inhibit the growth of competing plants.^[11] They also act as substitutes for important minerals, like calcium and potassium, that can be difficult for the arctic poppies to receive in their environment. ^[11]