Laticifer
Definition
A specialised plant cell or tube system that produces and stores latex, the milky exudate of opium poppy. Laticifers are visible in transverse stem sections and confirm the poppy family in botanical identification.
- Plant example
- Opium poppy (Papaver somniferum)
- Product stored
- Latex
- Visibility
- Seen in transverse stem sections microscopically
- Forensic use
- Confirming poppy family in botanical identification
Common questions
Why does laticifer structure help identify a poppy specimen when the plant is fragmentary?+
A characteristic laticifer network is a stable anatomical feature preserved in stem tissue even when flowers, leaves, or seed pods are missing or degraded, letting a botanical examiner confirm the family from a small stem fragment.
Is laticifer presence unique to opium poppy among controlled plants?+
No, laticifers occur across many plant families that produce latex, so their presence alone only narrows the identification; the specific arrangement and cell structure examined alongside other anatomical features is what supports a species-level call.
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