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Herbs , biennial or perennial, caulescent, from stout rhizomes or taproots; sap yellow to orange. Stems leafy. Leaves petiolate; basal rosulate, cauline alternate; blade 1-2× pinnately lobed. Inflorescences axillary or terminal, umbelliform, few flowered; bracts present. Flowers: sepals 2, distinct; petals 4; stamens ca. 12-many; pistil 2-carpellate; ovary 1-locular; style ± distinct; stigma 2-lobed. Capsules erect, 2-valved, dehiscing from base. Seeds few to many, arillate. x = 6.
Perennial herbs with orange latex. Lvs pinnate, glabrous, green above, glaucous beneath; leaflets crenate. Fls few, in terminal or axillary umbels. Sepals 2, entire, free, falling as fl. opens, not horned. Petals 4, not crumpled in bud, yellow. Stigma 2-lobed; style short. Capsule 1-locular, dehiscing by 2 valves from below. Seeds irregularly obovate, with crested aril.
Sep 2; pet 4, yellow; ovary narrowly cylindric, glabrous, narrowed above into a very short style with 2-lobed stigma; fr smooth, dehiscent from the base upwards by elongate valves; seeds arillate; biennial with saffron-colored juice, deeply lobed lvs, and few-fld umbelliform infls. Monospecific.
