The Yellow Horned Poppy grows all summer on sandy seashores or among
stones. It is a showy plant, with large, orange-yellow flowers.
Each flower has four petals which open almost flat. These petals are
very soft and are daintily waved round the edges.
In the centre of the petals rises a big bunch of stamens. In the middle
of these stamens stands a curious green horn. This is the seed-vessel,
and it is divided at the tip into three little forks.
As soon as the yellow stamens and the petals fall off, this horn grows
into a long curved pod, and in this pod are the seeds.
The Horned Poppy has two green sepals which are very rough and hairy.
They cover the flower so long as it is in bud, but whenever the flower
begins to expand these sepals burst open, and as soon as the yellow
petals have smoothed out their crinkles in the sun these little green
coverings fall off.
The leaves of this Poppy are thick and leathery, and are covered with
hairs which make them look grey.
These leaves have no separate stalks, but grow close to the stem as if
they were clasping it.