Lapland poppy
EN

Lapland poppy

Papaver lapponicum

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Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC) via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oreomecon_lapponica

Overview

Oreomecon lapponica is a species in the poppy family known by the common name Lapland poppy. It grows in the Arctic tundra from Norway around the arctic circle to Greenland. Until 2023 it was known as Papaver lapponicum.

The Lapland poppy faces severe threats from climate change as warming temperatures alter its specialized Arctic and subarctic habitat requirements. Human activities including mining, infrastructure development, and recreational activities further fragment and degrade its limited high-altitude and northern latitude populations.

Threat summary

Habitat

Lapland poppies have a circumpolar distribution, being native to Norway, the northern parts of Russia and Siberia, Alaska, the northern territories of Canada, and Greenland. It grows from sea level up to elevations of 1000 meters.

It grows in mesic tundra environments and also in the sand and gravel of floodplains and shorelines.

Other threatened species in Papaveraceae

Dense-flowered FumitoryCR

Dense-flowered Fumitory

Fumaria densiflora

Unknown
Few-flowered FumitoryCR

Few-flowered Fumitory

Fumaria vaillantii

Unknown

Frequently asked questions

Why is Lapland poppy classified as Endangered?
Lapland poppy is classified as Endangered — facing a very high risk of extinction in the wild — because population numbers are declining steeply and key habitats are under sustained pressure. The Lapland poppy faces severe threats from climate change as warming temperatures alter its specialized Arctic and subarctic habitat requirements. Human activities including mining, infrastructure development, and recreational activities further fragment and degrade its limited high-altitude and northern latitude populations.
Where does Lapland poppy live?
Lapland poppy occurs in across multiple regions. Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to Lapland poppy?
The main threats to Lapland poppy are ai-1, ai-2, ai-3, and ai-4. The full IUCN-classified threat record for this species is detailed on the species page.

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