Carthamus nitidus Boiss.

M. Thulin et al. Flora of Somalia, Vol. 1-4 [updated 2008] https://plants.jstor.org/collection/FLOS

Morphology General Habit

Annual herb to 40 cm high; stem white, glabrous

Morphology Leaves

Leaves of young plants in a rosette, lyrate; later stem leaves pinnatifid with 3–4 pairs of lobes, 2–5´1–3 cm, sessile, the lobes spiny-attenuate, apex spiny-attenuate, glabrous, slightly glandular

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Capitula solitary on terminal and side branches; involucre 2.6–4 cm long; outer phyllaries resembling the leaves; inner phyllaries ovate with triangular, pectinate-dentate appendage

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets

Florets pink, ± 2 cm long, of which lobes 4–5 mm

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Achenes obovoid, 4.5 mm long; pappus of violet flattened bristles 1–7 mm long, the outer and inner shortest.

Distribution

N2; Syria, Israel, Jordan, N Sudan

Ecology

Altitude range c. 1080 m.

Note

The Somali specimen, which was not mentioned in the monograph by Hanelt (1963), represents a considerable range extension. It was recorded as C. persicus Desf. ex Willd. in Cuf. Enum.: 1177 (1967).