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Pygmy poppy facts for kids

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Pygmy poppy
Eschscholzia minutiflora flower.jpg
Scientific classification
Genus:
Eschscholzia
Species:
minutiflora

The pygmy poppy (Eschscholzia minutiflora) is a small, colorful wildflower. It belongs to the Poppy family. You can find it growing in the deserts of the southwestern United States and northern Mexico.

Discovering the Pygmy Poppy

What Does It Look Like?

This wildflower is an annual herb. This means it completes its whole life cycle in one year. It grows from a patch of leaves that look like they are divided into many small, rounded parts.

The stems are thin and can be very short. Some stems can grow up to 35 centimeters (about 14 inches) tall. They might stand straight up or nod slightly.

The pygmy poppy has small flowers. Their petals can be tiny, just a few millimeters long. Some petals can grow up to two and a half centimeters (about one inch) long. The flowers are usually bright yellow. Sometimes, they have orange spots.

After the flower blooms, it forms a fruit. This fruit is a long, thin capsule. It is usually 3 to 6 centimeters (1 to 2.5 inches) long. Inside, you will find tiny brown to black seeds.

Different Kinds of Pygmy Poppies

There are three main types, or subspecies, of the pygmy poppy. They are all part of the same species but have some small differences.

  • Eschscholzia minutiflora subsp. minutiflora: This type has the smallest flowers. Their petals are usually 0.3 to 1.0 centimeter long. It is found in the widest range of areas. This subspecies has 18 chromosomes.
  • Eschscholzia minutiflora subsp. covillei (Greene) C.Clark: This type has flowers of a medium size. Their petals are usually 0.6 to 1.8 centimeters long. It grows in the Mojave Desert. This subspecies has 12 chromosomes.
  • Eschscholzia minutiflora subsp. twisselmannii C.Clark: This type has the largest flowers. Their petals can be 1.0 to 2.6 centimeters long. You can find it in the El Paso and Rand mountains of the Mojave Desert. This subspecies has 6 chromosomes.
  • Eschscholzia minutiflora minutiflora 009

    Eschscholzia minutiflora subsp. minutiflora

  • Eschscholzia minutiflora twisselmannii 007

    Eschscholzia minutiflora subsp. twisselmannii

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Pygmy poppy Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.