Oreomecon alpina Alpine Poppy
Strictly this is Oreomecon alpina ssp alpina but since this taxonomic change from Papaver aurantiacum only happened in 2014 I'm leaving it as species only for now.
In some texts, the authors suggest that the orange variety of Papaver cambricum, (Welsh Poppy), Papaver cambricum var aurantiacum which you sometimes see in the wild in UK, is the same as Papaver aurantiacum (=Oreomecon alpina ssp alpina). While recognising that taxonomic change is a search for botanical accuracy, it really does produce confusion as some supposedly authoritative botanical sources quickly accept the change while others don't.
Oreomecon alpina is found mostly in the alps and particularly in the Dolomites with outliers in the Pyrenees.
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| Oreomecon alpina Alpine Poppy |
Padon refuge environment, Dolomites, Italy 30th June 2014
Added on June 21st 2025