Safflower
Family Compositae (or Asteraceae)
Carthamus tinctorius, safflower (C. tinctorius 1) (C. tinctorius 3), is a much-branched, glabrous herbaceous annual, 50-150 cm high, with oblong sessile and glossy leaves with spines along the margins. Flower heads terminal, 3-4 cm in diameter, only bearing yellow-orange tubular florets. The fruit is an achene, about 8 mm long, shining and 4-angled.
Distribution
Safflower was known in ancient Egypt and spread throughout the Mediterranean region to India and China. It was taken by the Spaniards to Mexico and was introduced to the US as an oil crop in the 20th century.
Use
Safflower was used for a long time for dyeing cotton and silk. The dried flower heads contain the reddish pigment safflower carmine , but the colour is fading with time and therefor mainly displaced by other dyes with the exception of ceremonial occasions in India. Most of the safflower is now grown as an oil seed crop (C. tinctorius 2). In India this oil is used for cooking, the manufacture of soap and as lamp oil. Elsewhere it is used in paints and varnishes. The press cake is used for livestock. Biggest producers of safflower are India, the US and Mexico. To a lesser extent it is grown in South and Central Europe.