Also 7 cartamus, 8 carthame. [mod.L. carthamus (in F. carthame), ad. Arab. qarṭum, qirṭim, in same sense.]
A small genus of annual composite plants; esp. C. tinctorius (Safflower or Bastard Saffron), cultivated from southern Europe to China, the flowers of which yield red and yellow dyes. b. The florets used in the mass as a dye, and as a drug.
1548. Turner, Names of Herbes, Cnecus … is called … in englishe Bastarde saffron or mocke-saffron…. The Poticaries call thys herbe carthamus.
1662. Fuller, Worthies, I. 317. No precious drug is more adulterated [than Saffron] with Cartamus.
1750. Beawes, Lex Mercat., 806. Commodities of the Country’s [Java’s] Growth … Carthame (or Bastard Saffron).
1814. Sir H. Davy, Agric. Chem., 146. The Carthamus contains a red and a yellow colouring matter … from the red, rouge is prepared.
Hence Carthamic a., as in Carthamic acid, the same as Carthamin, the red coloring matter of safflower, C14 H16 O7.
1838. T. Thomson, Chem. Org. Bodies, 405. Carthamin.… This … Dobereiner considers as an acid, to which he has given the name of carthamic acid.
1863–72. Watts, Dict. Chem., I. 808. The carthamin is precipitated in red flocks.
