In this work the major alkaloids of six different collections of P. tri~ziifolium Boiss. and P.polyclzaetum Schott and Kotschy (both endemic to Turkey) have been investigated and the chromosome numbers of some of the samples have been counted. Some Turkish Papaver species of the section Miltantha have been found to produce high yields of the medicinally important alkaloids narcotine and thebaine(1-6). The existence of thebaine as the major alkaloid has been shown in P. fugax while lesser amount was found in P. cylindricum and P. triniifolium (2,3). Narcotine was isolated as the major alkaloid from P. cylindricum, P. fugax .and P. armerziacum (2,4). Previous work on P. tt-iniifQlium has revealed the existence of two different chemical strains in Turkey (3). 

In this work the major alkaloids of six different collections of P. tri~ziifolium Boiss. and P.polyclzaetum Schott and Kotschy (both endemic to Turkey) have been investigated and the chromosome numbers of some of the samples have been counted. Some Turkish Papaver species of the section Miltantha have been found to produce high yields of the medicinally important alkaloids narcotine and thebaine(1-6). The existence of thebaine as the major alkaloid has been shown in P. fugax while lesser amount was found in P. cylindricum and P. triniifolium (2,3). Narcotine was isolated as the major alkaloid from P. cylindricum, P. fugax .and P. armerziacum (2,4). Previous work on P. tt-iniifQlium has revealed the existence of two different chemical strains in Turkey (3).