Overview of crested prickly poppy (a.k.a. scatter-spined prickly poppy) Argemone polyanthemos. Like other species in this genus, A. polyanthemos produces yellow sap and much of the plant is covered with spines. It produces strong alkaloids, which discourage most wildlife, but Steve West (Northern Chihuahuan Dsert Wildflowers) reports that doves feed on the seeds with no apparent affect. Photographed at Aguirre Springs Campground, May 8, 2005.

Closeup of the flowers of the crested prickly poppy (a.k.a. scatter-spined prickly poppy) Argemone polyanthemos. Photographed at Aguirre Springs Campground, May 8, 2005.

Closeup of the mature seedpods of the crested prickly poppy (a.k.a. scatter-spined prickly poppy) Argemone polyanthemos. Photographed at Aguirre Springs Campground, May 8, 2005.

Closeup of young seedpods of the crested prickly poppy (a.k.a. scatter-spined prickly poppy) Argemone polyanthemos. Photographed at Aguirre Springs Campground, May 8, 2005.

Closeup of the stems of the crested prickly poppy (a.k.a. scatter-spined prickly poppy) Argemone polyanthemos, showing the many spines. Photographed at Aguirre Springs Campground, May 8, 2005.

According to Missouri Botanical Garden, "Broken stems ooze an orange-yellow sap."

According to Missouri Botanical Garden, "This species has fewer prickles than most other poppies in the genus, and is particularly distinguished by the absence of prickles on upper leaf surfaces." That is not to say that it is without spines, however, as you can see here.