MORPHOLOGICAL AND ANATOMICAL CHARACTERIZATION OF SAFFLOWER (Carthamus tinctorius L.) HYPSOPHYLS AND LEAVES

Safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) is an annual plant that belongs to the Asteraceae family. It is drought resistant and both seeds and flowers have multiple uses in food pharmaceutical, dermato-cosmetic and textile industries. Safflower can also be grown as an ornamental plant. The main objective of this study is to identify the morphological and anatomical differentiation of safflower hypsophylls and leaves. The study was conducted on two varieties of C. tinctorius grown in the Botanical Garden of the U.S.A.M.V. Bucharest. The samples were examined with Leica stereomicroscope. Leica optical microscope and scanning electron microscope. The results showed differences between the two varieties regarding the shape of the blade, the arrangement of the vein, the presence and arrangement of the secretory channels. This result brings new elements in the identification of bioactive compounds and for the differentiation of the varieties.