argemone

[Fr. argémone; Sp., Port., & Ital. argemone; Lat. argemone; Gr. ἀργεμώνη argemone), either a kind of poppy or an adonis; from Lat. argema = Gr. αργεμα ( argema ) = a small ulcer in the eye, for which the argemone was believed to be a proper application. [ARGEMA.] * A. Ordinary Language: The wild tansy. ( Minsheu .) B. Technically : Bot. A genus of plants belonging to the family Papa ver acer, or Poppy-worts. It has three sepals and six petals. The A. Mexican a , believed, as its name imports, to have come from Mexico, is now common in India and other warm countries in the Old World ag well as in the New. It has conspicuous yellow flowers. From having its calyx prickly, it is often called Mexican Thistle. The yellow juice, when reduced to consistence, resembles gamboge. It is detersive. The seeds are a more powerful narcotic than opium. 298