Carthamus
L.
Annual, rarely perennial, usually spiny. Leaves alternate, entire or pinnatifid,
spinescent. Heads usually homogamous, solitary, ovoid or subglobose. Involucral bracts
in many rows, imbricate, spiny, outer leaf like; inner dry, entire or with a short,
fimbriate appendage. Receptacle flat. Florets all hermaphordite. Corolla yellow, white
or purplish; tube slender; limb oblong, dilated at base, 5-cleft. Filaments usually densely
hairy; anther bases sagittate; auricles connate; tails short, fimbriate. Style arms short or
long. Achenes obovoid, 4-angled or compressed, glabrous; outer without pappus,
coarsely rugose; inner more or less smooth, usually with pappus.
In mediterranean region, Africa, Asia; ca 13 species, 3 in India.
Literature. HANELT, M.P. (1962). Monographische Ubersicht der Ganung Carthamus L. (Compositae) Feddes Rep. 67: 41-180. PATHAK, M. & T.B. SABNIS, (1935). A note on the classification of Indian safflower. Indian J. Agric. Sci. 5: 705-714.
In mediterranean region, Africa, Asia; ca 13 species, 3 in India.
Literature. HANELT, M.P. (1962). Monographische Ubersicht der Ganung Carthamus L. (Compositae) Feddes Rep. 67: 41-180. PATHAK, M. & T.B. SABNIS, (1935). A note on the classification of Indian safflower. Indian J. Agric. Sci. 5: 705-714.
KEY TO THE SPECIES
| 1a. Basal and cauline leaves not divided | 3. Carthamus tinctorius |
| b. Basal leaves usually pinnatifid or pinnatisect | 2 |
| 2a. Pappus absent | 2. Carthamus oxyacantha |
| b. Pappus of narrow ciliate scales | 1. Carthamus lanatus |
