Family |
Asteraceae
Carthamus tenuis
(Boiss. & C.I.Blanche) Bornm.
Carthamus tenuis (Boiss. & Bl.) Bornm.
(Nouvelle Flore du Liban et de la Syrie, vol. 3, Pl. CCCVIII nº 1; 1983)
Life-form & habit: Erect or diffuse annual.
Leaves: Basal and lower cauline leaves lyrate-pinnatifid with 5–8 pairs of lateral lobes, weakly pubescent, spiny-dentate. Upper cauline leaves sessile, subamplexicaul, with double spinose denticulation, folded inward, prominently veined, typically with sparse hairs and scattered glands.
Inflorescence & flowers: Involucre not exceeding 1.5 cm in height and usually under 1 cm in width; pale-colored, whitish-green.
Bracts:
subsp. tenuis: Stems slightly cobwebby; outer involucral bracts spreading, linear-lanceolate, sparsely hairy and glandular; middle bracts often flushed red, equal to or exceeding the flowers.
subsp. foliosus (Boiss.) Hanelt: Leaves long, linear-lanceolate; stems white, lacking reddish spots; heads small (9–10 mm wide); bracts of the involucre up to twice as long as the flowers, barely broadened at base.Flowers: Pale rose-purple, 15–20 mm long; anthers light to dark brown.
Fruit: Outer achenes blackish; middle ones whitish or pale brownish-grey, glossy.
Pappus: Pale straw to brownish, 2–4 mm long, blunt-tipped.
Phenology: Flowers from July to October, occasionally until November.
Habitat & elevation: Fallow land and roadsides; very common.
Lebanese distribution:
subsp. tenuis: Ct. Saïda, Beirut, Ras Beyrouth, Tripoli, Antélias, Sin el-Fil; Mi. Bikfaya, Broummana, Bhamdoun, Qornayel, Souq el-Gharb; Mm. Dimane, Bcharré.Syrian distribution: Banias, east of Tartous; NLatt. SW of Kessab; Dam. Damas, 'Adra.
Native range: Cyprus, East Aegean Is., Egypt, Lebanon-Syria, Palestine, Sinai, Türkey. (KEW)