The Papaveraceae occurs primarily in the northern hemisphere, but is also found in southern Africa and eastern Australia. It has around 40 genera and 770 species, with Corydalis being the largest genus. Members of the Papaveraceae are herbaceous or softly woody plants in which the stems may have several rings of vascular bundles.
All species have laticifers that produce a colored or clear sap.
The leaves are alternate and simple, but may be strongly lobed or dissected. Some are spinose. The venation is pinnate. There are no stipules. The flowers are bisexual and radially symmetric in the Papaveroideae , bilaterally symmetric in the Fumarioideae .