Carthamus L.

Tutin, T. G., Heywood, V. H., Burges, N. A., Moore, D. M., Valentine, D. H., Walters, S. M. & Webb, D. A., 1976, Flora Europaea. Volume 4. Plantaginaceae to Compositae (and Rubiaceae), Cambridge University Press : 302

143. Carthamus L. 1

(inch Kentrophyllum DC. )

Usually spiny, branched annuals, rarely perennial and woody at the base, with glandular and more or less villous-lanate to arachnoid indumentum. Leaves usually pinnatifid to pinnatisect, with spiny margin. Involucral bracts in many rows, imbricate, spiny, the outer leaf-like, the inner sometimes with apical appendages. Capitula solitary on stems and branches. Florets all hermaphrodite; corolla yellowish or violet to pinkish-purple; filaments usually densely bearded. Achenes oblong to obpyramidal, 4-angled, glabrous, the outer usually coarsely rugose, without pappus, the inner more or less smooth, usually with a persistent pappus of many rows of linear scales.

All species grow in dry, open habitats, principally as ruderals or weeds of cultivated ground.

Literature: A. Ashri & P. F. Knowles, Agron. Jour. 52: 11-17 (1960). P. Hanelt, Feddes Reperì. 67: 41-180 (1963).

1 Leaves usually undivided, entire or spinose-dentate; filaments subglabrous; achenes ±smooth; pappus usually absent

2. tinctorius 1 Leaves ±divided, spinose-dentate; filaments bearded; atleast

the outer achenes rugose, the inner with a pappus

2 Corollayelloworwhitish

3 Perennial,woodyat thebase;innerinvolucralbractswithout apical appendages; inner achenes rugulose; pappus ofvery narrow scales, deciduous 1. arborescens 3 Annual; inner involucral bracts with ovate-lanceolate, den­

tate to subentire apical appendages (often inconspicuous); inner achenes ±smooth; pappus of rather wide scales, persistent 7. lanatus 2 Corollapaleviolettopinkish-purple

4 Inner involucral bracts with distinct, ovate-lanceolate, den­

tate apical appendages 3. dentatus 4 Inner involucral bracts oblong-lanceolate, entire, without apical appendages

5 Plant usually subglabrous; stems white to purple, without spots; cauline leaves pinnatisect to pinnate, with spinose segments, shiny; pappus-scales usually truncate

6. leucocaulos 5 Plant ± densely glandular, with lanate-villous and arachnoid indumentum; stems pale brown with brownish to violet spots; cauline leaves sinuate to pinnatifid, spinose-dentate, not shiny; pappus-scales acute or acuminate

6 Stems densely arachnoid-hairy; outer involucral bracts

4-5 cm, patent, with spines 7-9 mm, the inner bracts abruptly acuminate; achenes 4-5 mm 5. boissieri 6 Stems rather sparsely arachnoid-hairy; outer involucral bracts less than 4 cm, ± erect, with spines 4-7 mm, the inner bracts gradually acuminate; achenes 3-5-4 mm

4. glaucus 1***S.