The Papaveraceae, or poppy family, is a mostly herbaceous family with a few shrubs and small trees occurring in temperate and subtropical climates. The family contains about 26 genera and 250 species and takes its name from genus Papaver. Many species produce a milky latex. The leaves are simple, alternate or whorled, and usually lobed, pinnatifid, or much-divided. The flowers are either solitary or in cymes or racemes, and are usually fairly large and showy. There are many stamens arranged in spiral whorls. Most of the species contain alkaloids and many are poisonous. Some poppies are well-loved like the state flower of California (Eschscholzia) and P. rhoeas invoking the memory of Flanders Field, while others such as the opium poppy (P. somniferum) have a different reputation. The two main areas of distribution for this family are western North America and eastern Asia.