The brilliant yellow coastal poppy, Gluacium flavum, is well adapted to life by the sea and inhabits shingle beaches of the Mediterranean and Europe from Tunisia to Ireland. They also occur inland, often on wasteland.

The plant is biennial, growing and developing one year and flowering the next. The lobed grey-green lower leaves form a rosette with long arched stems emerging from the centre. The 4 petalled flowers are bright, shiny yellow with multiple yellow stamens and central yellow stigma. The fruits are long narrow pods and give the flower it's common name of horned poppy.