Papaver heterophyllum, previously known as Stylomecon heterophylla, and better known as the wind poppy, is a winter annual herbaceous plant.

[3] The name poppy originates from Early Old English popeġ, popaeġ, popæġ, or popei[4] and is suspected to have previously come from Late Latin papavum, popauer.

[4] The wind poppy consists of radially symmetrical flowers supported by long, thin, and wiry stems with lobed leaves.

It was stated by Ernst in 1962 that the “seedling stages are identical, and even the adult plants are so similar that determinations cannot be made without the gynoecia.”[6] The species are more easily distinguishable through leaf, flower, and fruit morphology.

Kadereit & Baldwin describe the gynoecium of Papaver heterophyllum to have a flat ovary roof with capsules that split apart through pores under it.

As for leaf morphology, Papaver heterophyllum has a delicate “dissection” pattern on the middle and distal cauline leaves.

[3] Papaver heterophyllum is native to the coastal mountains of central California down to Baja where it grows on the sides of slopes below altitudes of 4000 feet (1200 m).

[2] They are annuals and bloom in the spring but are especially abundant after a fire because the seeds are cued to germinate by cues such as heat, smoke, or charred wood.

Kadereit & Baldwin attempted to hybridize P. heterophyllum and P. californicum (western poppy), which produced plants that developed well but were sterile.