1	"Corolla pale purple; cauline leaves +- deeply lobed"	"Carthamus leucocaulos"
1	"Corolla yellow to red; cauline leaves toothed to deeply lobed"	2
2	"Cauline leaves dentate, weakly spiny; corolla yellow to red; fruit white"	"Carthamus tinctorius"
2	"Cauline leaves +- deeply lobed, very spiny; corolla yellow; fruit brown"	3
3	"Outer phyllaries generally 2 × inner; herbage +- sparsely hairy; stem white"	"Carthamus creticus"
3	"Outer phyllaries generally <= 1.5 &times; inner; herbage loosely cobwebby to +- woolly; stem straw-colored"	"Carthamus lanatus"