CARTHAMUS L.DISTAFF THISTLE

CARTHAMUS L. - DISTAFF THISTLE

Scientific Description:

Usually spiny, branched annuals, with glandular and villous-lanate to arachnoid indumentum. Leaves alternate, entire to pinnatifid or pinnatisect, with spiny margins; basal larger and more divided than cauline. Capitula homogamous, discoid, corymbose. Involucre subglobose to ovoid; phyllaries pluriseriate, imbricate, spiny; outer similar to cauline leaves, median sometimes with apical appendages, inner simple, acuminate. Receptacle flat, densely paleaceous. Corolla orange or yellowish to pink or purple. Achenes obpyramidal, 4-angled, glabrous, outer coarsely rugose and epappose, inner smooth and usually crowned with a persistent, pluriseriate pappus of narrow scales.

Reference:
Kupicha FK (1975). Carthamus L., In: Davis PH (ed.), Flora of Turkey and the East Aegean Islands, Edinburgh University Press, Edinburgh, 5: 590.

Public Description:

Carthamus is a genus of annual herbs, known as “distaff thistles” or “safflower-thistle”, and is native to Europe, North Africa, and parts of Asia. There are approximately 48 species in the world and 7 species (8 taxa) in Türkiye. Flowers are usually orange or yellowish to pink or purple colors. The “safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.)” is widely used for food colouring, medicinal, culinary, herbal dyestuffs and cosmetic uses.

References:

Anonymous 1 (2016). http://www.seedaholic.com/carthamus-tinctorius-kinko.html, Accessed date: 06.01.2016.

Anonymous 2 (2016). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carthamus/, Accessed date: 06.01.2016.

Hacıoğlu T B (2012). Carthamus L. In: Güner, A., Aslan, S., Ekim, T., Vural, M. & Babaç, M.T. (eds.), Türkiye Bitkileri Listesi (Damarlı Bitkiler). Nezahat Gökyiğit Botanik Bahçesi ve Flora Araştırmaları Derneği Yayını. İstanbul, pp. 126–127.