Papaver aculeatum flower and fruit

This Papaver aculeatum flower seen in the Drakensberg obliges by presenting five petals at its stem tip, although they do not spread widely for the photo. The petal colour is more salmon-pink than the other option, orange red. The gossamer petals are slightly wavy, too delicate to present a regular, smooth cup.

Some inconspicuous prickles are notable on the stems. They gave the plant its thorny poppy name. Maybe pollinators aren’t supposed to walk up here for feasting from the flowers.

A green fruit is erect in the upper right corner of the picture, also on a long stem, again with some prickles. The oblong capsules of this plant have three to eighteen pores from which the tiny, kidney-shaped seeds escape and disperse when the fruit is ripe (Manning, 2009; Germishuizen and Clarke, 2003; Leistner, (Ed.), 2000; iNaturalist; https://www.worldfloraonline.org).