Safflower (Carthamus Tinctorius) is an annual, rarely biennial plant 0.4-1.5 m high. The stem is straight, branched, with a whitish gloss. The leaves are oblong-lanceolate, alternate, large, whole-marginal. The flowers are tubular, five-parted, red, yellow or orange. Inflorescence is a basket. The fruit is a white, shiny achene, oval-tetrahedral in shape with slightly protruding ribs on the sides.