Oreomecon crocea, common name ice poppy, is a species of flowering plant in the poppy family.
Description Oreomecon crocea can reach a height of . It is a biennial or perennial herbaceous plant, with a basal rosette of long-stalked bluish-green lobed leaves. The stems are leafless and haired. Flowers are actinomorphic, solitary, wide, with four yellow, orange, reddish or white petals. They bloom from June to August. This plant is cultivated as an ornamental plant and erroneously sold under the name of Papaver nudicaule, that is instead a different species (Papaver nudicaule L. – common names Iceland poppy, Icelandic poppy).
Taxonomy Oreomecon crocea was scientifically described and named Papaver croceum in 1830 by Carl Friedrich von Ledebour. It has also been considered to be variety of Papaver nudicaule or of Papaver alpinum. In 2021 it was moved to the new genus Oreomecon, giving the species its accepted name. It has synonyms according to Plants of the World Online.
Table of Synonyms Name Year Rank Notes Papaver alpinum var. croceum 1841 variety ≡ hom. Papaver alpinum var. leucanthum 1860 variety = het. Papaver alpinum lusus leucanthum 1862 sport = het. Papaver alpinum lusus tenue 1862 sport = het. Papaver angrenicum 1941 species = het. Papaver croceum 1830 species ≡ hom. Papaver croceum subsp. altaicum 1931 subspecies = het. Papaver croceum subsp. corydalifolium 1931 subspecies = het. Papaver croceum var. glabrifolium 1931 variety = het. Papaver croceum var. glabrum 1931 variety = het. Papaver croceum var. hirsutum 1931 variety = het. Papaver croceum var. pilosum 1931 variety = het. Papaver himalaycum 1934 species = het. Papaver ledebourianum var. leucanthum 1972 variety = het. Papaver nudicaule f. albiflorum 1923 form = het., nom. illeg. Papaver nudicaule subsp. aurantiacum 1909 subspecies = het. Papaver nudicaule subsp. corydalifolium 1913 subspecies = het. Papaver nudicaule var. corydalifolium 1909 variety = het. Papaver nudicaule var. croceum 1839 variety ≡ hom. Papaver nudicaule var. glabratum 1821 variety = het. Papaver nudicaule var. leucanthum 1860 variety = het. Papaver nudicaule var. subcorydalifolium 1909 variety = het. Papaver nudicaule var. tenue 1909 variety = het. Papaver nudicaule var. trilobifolium 1909 variety = het. Papaver pseudotenellum 1955 species = het. Notes: ≡ homotypic synonym; = heterotypic synonym
Distribution and habitat Oreomecon crocea is a native of southern Siberia, Central Asia, and Mongolia.
It can be found in pasture, meadows, rocky slopes and landfill areas.
References
Pignatti S. - Flora d'Italia (3 voll.) - Edagricole – 1982 Biolib Nature Gate Panarctic Flora