The opium poppy, Papaver somniferum, is the type of poppy from which opium and many refined opiates such as morphine, thebaine, codeine, papaverine, and noscapine are extracted. The binomial name means, loosely, the sleep-bringing poppy, referring to its narcotic properties. The seeds are important food items, and contain healthy oils used in salads worldwide. The plant itself is valuable for ornamental purposes. The seeds of the poppy are widely used as the popular poppy seed found in and on many food items such as bagels, bialys, muffins and cakes.
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