Safflower

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• safflower
• dyer's-saffron
• false saffron

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Centaurea carthamus
• Carduus tinctorius
• Carthamus tinctorius var. spinosus
• Carthamus glaber
• Calcitrapa tinctoria

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and is classified under the phylum Streptophyta and class Equisetopsida. Within the subclass Magnoliidae, it falls under the order Asterales and the family Asteraceae. It is specifically identified by the genus Carthamus, where it is known as Carthamus tinctorius.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a specific presence across various regions of the European continent. In Northern Europe, its distribution includes the territories of Great Britain and Ireland. Moving toward Middle Europe, the species can be found growing in Austria and Belgium. Additionally, its geographical range extends through the Czechia-Slovakia region. These locations collectively define the documented habitats for Carthamus tinctorius within these specific territories.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Carthamus tinctorius is characterized by a broad altitudinal distribution, ranging from sea level up to a maximum elevation of 2560 m AMSL. This species is predominantly found in cultivation, though it demonstrates a capacity for naturalizing in specific geographic zones, particularly within the southern regions of the European part of the former USSR, including Ukraine, the Lower Volga, and the Ural regions. Furthermore, its ecological footprint extends into the Caucasus and Soviet Central Asia, where it integrates into the local landscapes.

Elevational range max:

2560 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

0 m AMSL

Habitat :

in cultivation, sometimes naturalizing in southern regions of European part of USSR (in Ukraine, Lower Volga, Urals), as well as in Caucasus and Soviet Central Asia

Life history

The life history of Carthamus tinctorius is characterized by its existence as an annual plant, following a complete developmental cycle within a single growing season. As a therophyte, it completes its entire life cycle from germination to seed production through a temporary aerial shoot that withers at the end of the season, leaving only seeds to persist in the soil for the next generation. This life history is defined by a relatively short lifespan of 1 year, during which the plant focuses its metabolic energy on rapid vegetative growth followed by the development of reproductive structures to ensure species survival before the onset of unfavorable environmental conditions.

Life form :

therophyte

Lifecycle :

annual

Lifespan :

1

Morphology

The morphology of Carthamus tinctorius is characterized by its growth form as a non-woody herb and forb. This terrestrial plant is self-supporting and does not function as a climber or an epiphyte, nor does it act as a parasite, maintaining an independent lifestyle. Its shoot orientation is distinctly erect, contributing to its overall structure. In terms of stature, the plant exhibits a variable height ranging from a minimum of 0.3 m to a maximum of 1.2 m, with an average plant height of approximately 0.859 m.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Growth form :

forb

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

1.2 m

Plant height mean:

0.859333333333333 m

Plant height min:

0.3 m

Shoot orientation :

erect

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiology of Carthamus tinctorius is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, reflecting its metabolic approach to carbon fixation. The plant possesses a non-carnivorous nutritional strategy and does not function as a nitrogen fixer. Its foliage is organized in an alternate leaf arrangement, featuring elliptic leaf forms that vary significantly in dimension. Morphologically, the leaves exhibit a mean length of 11 cm, with individual lengths ranging from a minimum of 2 cm to a maximum of 15 cm. The leaf width shows a mean value of 4.25 cm, with a minimum width of 2.5 cm and a maximum width of 6 cm. This combination of dimensions results in a mean leaf size of 19.305 cm², supported by a mean Specific Leaf Area (SLA) of 141.5 cm²/g, which indicates the relationship between the leaf's photosynthetic capacity and its structural density.

Carnivory :

non-carnivorous

Leaf arrangement :

alternate

Leaf form :

elliptic

Leaf length max:

15 cm

Leaf length mean:

11 cm

Leaf length min:

2 cm

Leaf size mean:

19.305 cm²

Leaf width max:

6 cm

Leaf width mean:

4.25 cm

Leaf width min:

2.5 cm

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Specific Leaf Area (SLA) mean:

141.5 cm²/g

Reproduction

The reproduction of Carthamus tinctorius is characterized by a sexual reproductive cycle that relies on biotic pollination mechanisms. The flowering period typically begins in July and concludes in August, during which the plant produces distinctive orange-colored flowers. Pollination is primarily achieved through insect vectors, representing a biotic syndrome that ensures the transfer of pollen. Following successful fertilization, which can occur through self-fertilization as the trait is present, the plant develops fruit in the form of an achene. These fruits are indehiscent and vary in size, with a mean length of 0.55 cm (ranging from 0.55 cm to 0.8 cm) and a consistent mean width of 0.5 cm. Within these fruits, the seeds are produced with a highly uniform length of approximately 6 mm. The seed mass is relatively small, averaging 0.0306593335 g, with a recorded range between 0.0325 g and 0.04 g. Once mature, the plant utilizes an anemochorous dispersal syndrome, meaning the seeds are dispersed by the wind. Notably, asexual reproduction is absent in this species, making sexual reproduction the sole method for its propagation.

Dehiscence :

indehiscent

Dispersal syndrome :

anemochorous

Flower colour :

orange

Flowering time :

Jul

Flowering time :

Aug

Fruit length max:

0.8 cm

Fruit length mean:

0.55 cm

Fruit type :

achene

Fruit width max:

0.5 cm

Pollination syndrome :

insect

Pollination syndrome :

biotic

Reproduction asexual :

absent

Seed length mean:

6 mm

Seed mass max:

0.04 g

Seed mass mean:

0.0306593335 g

Seed mass min:

0.0325 g

Self fertilization :

present

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Carthamus tinctorius has 3 reported plant parts identified across 7 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include seed, flower, leaf.

Seed

1. Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology
2. Planta medica
3. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica
4. Plant signaling & behavior

Flower

1. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)
2. BMC complementary medicine and therapies

Leaf

1. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica

Chemicals

Carthamus tinctorius has 227 reported phytochemicals identified across 7 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Hydroxysafflor Yellow A, kaempferol, quercetin, Carthamin, Anhydrosafflor yellow B.

Hydroxysafflor Yellow A

1. Chinese journal of integrative medicine
2. Frontiers in pharmacology
3. Rapid communications in mass spectrometry : RCM
4. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica
5. Nature communications

kaempferol

1. Food & function
2. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica
3. Frontiers in medicine
4. Yao xue xue bao = Acta pharmaceutica Sinica
5. International journal of molecular sciences

quercetin

1. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica
2. Frontiers in medicine
3. The clinical respiratory journal
4. Yao xue xue bao = Acta pharmaceutica Sinica
5. International journal of molecular sciences

Carthamin

1. Dr. Duke
2. Chinese journal of integrative medicine
3. Plant foods for human nutrition (Dordrecht, Netherlands)
4. Journal of separation science
5. Pharmacological research

Anhydrosafflor yellow B

1. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica
2. Journal of pharmaceutical and biomedical analysis
3. Journal of ethnopharmacology
4. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Flavonoids

1. Frontiers in pharmacology
2. BMC plant biology
3. Chemistry & biodiversity
4. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica

adenosine

1. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica
2. Yao xue xue bao = Acta pharmaceutica Sinica
3. Journal of pharmaceutical and biomedical analysis
4. Journal of ethnopharmacology

linoleic acid

1. Dr. Duke
2. International journal of molecular sciences
3. BMC genomics
4. Anatomy & cell biology

oleic acid

1. Dr. Duke
2. International journal of molecular sciences
3. BMC genomics
4. Anatomy & cell biology

palmitic acid

1. Dr. Duke
2. International journal of molecular sciences
3. Anatomy & cell biology
4. Zhong yao cai = Zhongyaocai = Journal of Chinese medicinal materials

Activities

Carthamus tinctorius has 432 reported activities identified across 7 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant, Anticancer, Analgesic, Antiaging, Antidepressant.

Antioxidant

1. Dr. Duke
2. Chinese journal of integrative medicine
3. Frontiers in medicine
4. Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology

Anticancer

1. Dr. Duke
2. Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology
3. Pakistan journal of biological sciences : PJBS

Analgesic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Chinese journal of integrative medicine

Antiaging

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Antidepressant

1. Dr. Duke
2. Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology

Antidiabetic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Chinese journal of integrative medicine

Antifatigue

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Antihypertensive

1. Dr. Duke
2. Nutrients

Antipyretic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Chinese journal of integrative medicine

Antitumor

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Medicinal Uses

Carthamus tinctorius has 58 reported medicinal uses identified across 7 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include cardiovascular diseases, blood circulation, cancer, myocardial ischemia, cerebrovascular diseases.

Most Reported Uses

Preparations