Oreomecon
Oreomecon is a genus in the poppy family Papaveraceae. It was established in 2022 for what was previously treated as Papaver sect. Meconella in order to ensure that the genus Papaver was monophyletic.
Taxonomy
Molecular phylogenetic studies of the genus Papaver from 1997 onwards showed that as then circumscribed, the genus was not monophyletic. Three clades could be distinguished within the original circumscription of Papaver: Papaver sensu stricto, Papaver sect. Meconella, and a combination of Papaver sect. Argemonidium and Roemeria. Meconopsis made up a fourth clade, embedded within the original circumscription of Papaver. A 2006 study suggest the four clades were related as shown in the following cladogram:Subsequently, Meconopsis cambrica and Stylomecon were transferred to Papaver, and Roemeria expanded to include Papaver sect. Argemonidium. In 2022, the genus Oreomecon was established and some better known and understood species present in Europe, either natives or alien, were transferred to that genus.
Papaver sect. Meconella could not be raised to the rank of genus under the name Meconella because Meconella Nutt. was already used for a group of American species of poppies, hence a new name was required. Oreomecon is derived, hence 'mountain poppy'.
Species
Sources differ in number of species placed in Papaver sect. Meconella. In 2006, a range of 24 to 30 species was suggested. The Papaver alpinum group has been treated particularly variably, with one to seven or more species accepted, along with numerous subspecies. A 2009 study concluded that "most previous taxonomic concepts of P. alpinum s.l. were highly artificial" and recognized only one species, with possibly two subspecies., Plants of the World Online listed the following species:Oreomecon alaskana, syn. Papaver alaskanumOreomecon alborosea, syn. Papaver alboroseumOreomecon alpina, syn. Papaver alpinumOreomecon ammophila, syn. Papaver ammophilumOreomecon amurensis, syn. Papaver amurenseOreomecon anadyrensis, syn. Papaver anadyrenseOreomecon angustifolia, syn. Papaver angustifoliumOreomecon anjuica, syn. Papaver anjuicumOreomecon anomala, syn. Papaver anomalumOreomecon atrovirens, syn. Papaver atrovirensOreomecon baitagensis, syn. Papaver baitagenseOreomecon calcarea, syn. Papaver calcareumOreomecon canescens, syn. Papaver canescensOreomecon chakassica, syn. Papaver chakassicumOreomecon chionophila, syn. Papaver chionophilumOreomecon coloradensis, syn. Papaver coloradenseOreomecon columbiana, syn. Papaver columbianumOreomecon coreana, syn. Papaver coreanumOreomecon corona-sancti-stephani, syn. Papaver corona-sancti-stephaniOreomecon crocea, syn. Papaver croceumOreomecon czekanowskii, syn. Papaver czekanowskiiOreomecon dahliana, syn. Papaver dahlianumOreomecon detritophila, syn. Papaver detritophilumOreomecon fauriei, syn. Papaver faurieiOreomecon gorodkovii, syn. Papaver gorodkoviiOreomecon hultenii, syn. Papaver hulteniiOreomecon hypsipetes, syn. Papaver hypsipetesOreomecon involucrata, syn. Papaver involucratumOreomecon jacutica, syn. Papaver jacuticumOreomecon jugorica, syn. Papaver jugoricumOreomecon kluanensis, syn. Papaver kluanenseOreomecon kuvajevii, syn. Papaver kuvajeviiOreomecon labradorica, syn. Papaver labradoricumOreomecon laestadiana, syn. Papaver laestadianumOreomecon lapeyrouseana, syn. Papaver lapeyrouseanumOreomecon lapponica, syn. Papaver lapponicumOreomecon leiocarpa, syn. Papaver leiocarpumOreomecon leucotricha, syn. Papaver leucotrichumOreomecon lisae, syn. Papaver lisaeOreomecon longiscapa, syn. Papaver rubroaurantiacum subsp. longiscapumOreomecon luculenta, syn. Papaver luculentumOreomecon macounii, syn. Papaver macouniiOreomecon mcconnellii, syn. Papaver mcconnelliiOreomecon minutiflora, syn. Papaver minutiflorumOreomecon miyabeana, syn. Papaver miyabeanumOreomecon multiradiata, syn. Papaver multiradiatumOreomecon nivalis, syn. Papaver nivaleOreomecon nudicaulis, syn. Papaver nudicauleOreomecon olchonensis, syn. Papaver olchonenseOreomecon paucistamina, syn. Papaver paucistaminumOreomecon polaris, syn. Papaver polareOreomecon popovii, syn. Papaver popoviiOreomecon pseudocanescens, syn. Papaver pseudocanescensOreomecon pulvinata, syn. Papaver pulvinatumOreomecon pygmaea, syn. Papaver pygmaeumOreomecon radicata, syn. Papaver radicatumOreomecon roseoalba, syn. Papaver roseoalbumOreomecon rubroaurantiaca, syn. Papaver rubroaurantiacumOreomecon saichanensis, syn. Papaver saichanenseOreomecon schamurinii, syn. Papaver schamuriniiOreomecon setosa, syn. Papaver setosumOreomecon smirnovii, syn. Papaver smirnoviiOreomecon stanovensis, syn. Papaver stanovenseOreomecon stubendorfii, syn. Papaver stubendorfiiOreomecon tenella, syn. Papaver tenellumOreomecon tianschanica, syn. Papaver tianschanicumOreomecon tolmatscheviana, syn. Papaver tolmatschevianumOreomecon turczaninovii, syn. Oreomecon turczaninoviiOreomecon udocanica, syn. Papaver udocanicumOreomecon variegata, syn. Papaver variegatumOreomecon walpolei, syn. ''Oreomecon walpolei''