Centers of plant diversity and conservation of crop germ plasm: Safflower

Abstract

Vavilov proposed three areas of origin for cultivated safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) (12). One in India (his Center II) was based on variability and ancient culture. A second, in Afghanistan (his Center III), was based on variability and proximity of wild species. A third area of origin, in Ethiopia (his Center VI), was assumed primarily from the presence of a wild safflower species in that area. Kupzow (10), following a detailed study in Russia of collections made in many areas, reached the same conclusions as Vavilov. Hanelt (4) and Ashri and Knowles (1) placed the center of origin in the Near East. Their opinion was based on the similarity of cultivated safflower to two closely related wild species: C. flavescens, found in Turkey, Syria, and Lebanon; and C. palaestinus, found in desert areas of western Iraq and southern Israel. This paper briefly surveys the diversity in cultivated safflower. Much of the variability was probably present long before Roman times, with all of it developing from a wild progenitor assumed to have strong branching, well developed spines on leaves and involucral bracts, heads about 12 mm in diameter, yellow flowers, obovate seeds with about 20% oil, and probably mostly self-incompatible. No attempt is made here to catalog the variability. Instead, we look at safflower centers to learn what is going on to reduce or to magnify variability.