Family

Asteraceae Bercht.

Genus

Carthamus

Common Name

Safflower

Plant Figure

Description

Carthamus tinctorius L., a member of the family Asteraceae, is an annual and a predominantly self-pollinated species. C. tinctorius is a domesticated species with a long history of cultivation and widespread distribution across the world. Flowers from C. tinctorius have been widely used in traditional Chinese medicine because of their ability to improve cerebral blood flow. Flavonoids are the main active compounds in C. tinctorius and have many pharmacological effects.