Thursday, May 12, 2011

Celandine Poppy and Celandine

These two plants are sometimes confused by plant enthusiasts. Both flower at the same time and their deeply dissected leaves are similar. However, Stylophorum diphyllum is a native in rich woods with minimal disturbance, while Chelidonium majus is introduced and tends to appear along the edges of woods, especially degraded woods. The flowers and fruits of Chelidonium look like those of a mustard, but both plants are members of the Papaveraceae (Poppy Family).



Stylophorum diphyllum, Celandine Poppy (or Wood Poppy)



Chelidonium majus, Celandine
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2 comments:

  1. Heather HolmMay 12, 2011 at 9:44 AM

    Hi Keith,
    I'm glad you posted about these two similar looking plants. I have read in some sources about a yellow sap from just the Chelidonium, but other sources say the Stylophorum also has yellow sap. Can you tell us any other things to differentiate between these two?

    Thanks,
    Heather

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  2. Keith BoardMay 12, 2011 at 10:54 AM

    The seed capsules are very different. Those of Stylophorum are plump and hairy while those of Chelidonium are extremely narrow and either glabrous or at least not very hairy. The habitats are also very distinct. In northern Indiana at least, Stylophorum is not very common, occurring in high quality rich woods. Chelidonium shows up in weedy places and more in the open.

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