Carthamus lanatus L.

Annual. Stems rigid, erect, with sparse long multicellular hairs, fine cobwebby hairs, and short, stalked glandular hairs, ribbed, 25–40–(70) cm tall. Lvs 1–2-pinnatifid, glossy green, with sparse short stalked glandular hairs and very sparse multicellular and fine cobwebby hairs, rigidly spinose-dentate, 2–7–(12) × 1.5–3–(5) cm; veins prominent; lobes and spines at ± 90° to margin. Capitula terminal, solitary, ovoid. Outer involucral bracts spreading to deflexed, leaflike; middle bracts similar, but suberect; inner bracts c. 1/2length of outer, sparsely cobwebby, with an erect, lanceolate, fimbriate, scarious apex. Corolla yellow with purplish veins, 25–30 mm long; lobes 6–7 mm long; tube swollen at throat, convoluted below. Anthers pale; filaments bearded. Achenes obpyramidal, 4-ribbed, 5–8 × 3–5 mm, the outer rugulose, the inner ± smooth. Pappus scales linear, flattened, ciliate, sordid to brown, 1–10 mm long.

[From: Webb et al. (1988) Flora of New Zealand. Volume 4.]

Flowering: (Oct.)–Jan.–Apr.; Fruiting: Jan.–Apr.