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Meconopsis (Ref 0090)
© Bob Cumming

Meconopsis are an intriguing group of flowering plants with two distinct ranges. A single species, Meconopsis cambrica, or the Welsh poppy, is indigenous in the fringes of Western Europe. The other 40 or so (depending on classification) Meconopsis species are to be found in and around the Himalaya regions. There is much debate as to what constitutes a particular species within the Himalayan types as many readily hybridise with each other and produce viable seed. It is very likely that individually-named species are in fact a single species but with an under-appreciated variable form. It is worth stating here that the Meconopsis-group of plants highlights the weaknesses of the classification system developed by Carolus Linnaeus, who grouped species according to shared physical characteristics. It may be better to use genomic DNA analysis to better ascertain how many species there actually are.

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