Carthamus L.
Carthamus (incl. Phonus Hill, and Carduncellus Adans., p.p.) is composed of about 48 species, distributed mainly in the dry regions of Europe, North Africa and western Asia. In North Africa it is represented by 3 species of spinescent shrubs, one equally spinescent subshub (C. mareoticus Delile) and 16 annual or perennial species sometimes with the base of the stems hardened.
Hanelt, P. 1963. Monografische Ubersicht der Gattung Carthamus L. (Compositae). Feddest repertorium specierum novarum regni vegetabilis, 67: 41-180.
López, G. 2012. Sobre la clasificación del complejo Carthamus-Carduncellus (Asteraceae, Cardueae-Centaureinae) y su tratamiento en Flora iberica. Acta Bot. Malacitana 37: 79-92.
Key to species
1 Leaves of 2 types: some linear, rigid, solitary, transformed into spines, entire except for 2 small spinescent lobes borne at the base; and others linear-oblong, soft, often in vrachyblasts Carthamus fruticosus
1 Leaves all similar, from ovate to linear-lanceolate, with numerous ± triangular-spinescent lobes 2
2 Leaves ovate or ovate-lanceolate, with broad lobes ending in a spine. Involucral bracts foliaceous same length or 1.5 times longer than capitulum Carthamus arborescens
2 Leaves linear-lanceolate with very narrow lobes, spiny. Involucral bracts foliaceous, ± twice as long as capitulum Carthamus riphaeus
Updated by: B. Valdés & J. Charco.