Carthamus tinctorious

Botanical Name:

Family Name:

Compositae

Local Name:

Pong

Urdu Name:

Zaffron-e- kazib

English name:

Bastards saffron, Safflower

Part used:

Petals, seeds

Flowering:

Description:

Carthamus tinctorious is an erect annual herb, stem white, branched towards the apex. Leaves oval, spiny sharp-pointed and arranged alternately. Leave bases half-clasping the stem. Flowering heads or capitula are arising on the top of the branches. Spiny bracts surround each capitulum's. Flower color, yellow and red. Its fruits are about the size of barleycorns, somewhat four sided, white and shining.

Habitat:

C. tinctorious is cultivating in small quantity by local people in Gilgit/Baltistan.

Medicinal uses:

Carthamus tinctorious is used for perspiration, hysteria. Substitute for saffron. Digestive aid. Used for weight loss and blood imbalance. Flowers are laxative and diaphoretic.

Locally, flowering heads are used as condiments, food, dyes and flavoring agent. And also used for fever and cough.

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