Flowers of the papaveraceae (poppy) family have two or three sepals, fused into a conical structure that tends to wither at blooming time, and between four and six petals, usually large and brightly colored; yellow and white are most common. At the center is a cluster of many stamens surrounding a pistil. Leaves may be divided or simple, mostly growing along the stems, with an alternate arrangement. The US has 19 genera and 72 species, which are concentrated in temperate and desert areas; less common in the mountains.