Meconopsis betonicifolia

Published by Daniel Mosquin on May 28, 2005

Family / Families: Papaveraceae
Scientific Name(s): Meconopsis betonicifolia Franch.
Institution(s): David C. Lam Asian Garden, University of British Columbia Botanical Garden
Accession Number(s): 1983-0204
Location(s): Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Entry Author(s): Daniel Mosquin
Copyright Holder(s): Daniel Mosquin
Image License: Creative Commons License
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Close-up of <i>Meconopsis betonicifolia</i>

Close-up of Meconopsis betonicifolia

Waking up at 5:30 AM yesterday morning was worth it, photographically-speaking. The early morning light was magnificent, and the garden is both quiet (except for all the birds) and filled with fragrance at 7 AM. It seems like it is the only way to take good botanical photographs during hot summer days and evenings, so I’ll be switching my sleep patterns a bit.

The Himalayan blue poppies are just one of the many delights right now, although it seems to me there are fewer blooming this year than in previous years. The genus MeconopsisMeconopsis cambrica. The people at the Meconopsis Group think it is doubtful that this disjunct species will remain a Meconopsis with a taxonomic re-examination.

In the Asian Garden, you can find some plants flowering here and there at this time of year, although the largest patch of hybrid Meconopsis is yet to bloom near the fallen grand fir at the far end of the garden.

Read More | 4 Comments

4 responses to “Meconopsis betonicifolia”

  1. Glenys Marshall-Inman
    Glenys Marshall-Inman May 22, 2006 at 8:01 pm | Reply

    Hi, I am so excited but also anxious. My Meconopsis Betonicifolia are finally budding. I grew them from seen two years ago. I have been told to cut all the buds from them as
    they come out. I have done this – 6 so far – it is so difficult to
    do this, but I have been told that the plant will die if I do not do so. Last year they did not bud at all.
    I hope you can help me – G

  2. Daniel Mosquin
    Daniel Mosquin May 24, 2006 at 10:29 pm | Reply

    Hi Glenys,
    I’m sorry, but I don’t know. I’m not a horticulturist or a master gardener. You’re far more likely to get an immediate response to your question if you ask at on the UBC Garden Forums.

  3. Michael F
    Michael F May 28, 2006 at 9:05 am | Reply

    Come to this from the ‘year-on’ link . . .
       “Meconopsis cambrica. The people at the Meconopsis Group think it is doubtful that this disjunct species will remain a Meconopsis with a taxonomic re-examination”
    Err . . no, since M. cambrica is the type species of Meconopsis. They’d have to move all the Himalayan species out to a different genus.

  4. Daniel Mosquin
    Daniel Mosquin May 28, 2006 at 11:50 am | Reply

    From this page on the distribution of Meconopsis in the wild:

    The one exception to an Asian distribution of Meconopsis is the Welsh poppy, M. cambrica. It is native to restricted parts of Britain and Western Europe. This outlying species does not truly fit within the genus Meconopsis, and in time it is likely that this will be attended to by the botanists, with a name change.

    I suppose that could be interpreted differently, but I took it to mean that the type would be reassigned and the name conserved for most species in the genus, much like what was done with Acacia.

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