Bastard saffron

Saffron. Saffron spice is the dried stigmas of Crocus sativus L. (Iridaceae), a bulbous perennial native to southern Europe and Asia Minor and cultivated in the Mediterranean countries, particularly Spain. Tme saffron should not be confused with either meadow saffron, ie, Colchicum autumnale L. (Lihaceae) also called safflower, or bastard saffron, ie, Carthamus tinctorius L. (Compositae), both of which are occasionally used to adulterate tme saffron. 

Saffron is found in the pistils of the plant Crocus sativus. Saffron is often confused with safflower, sometimes known as bastard saffron. The name of the plant. Crocus sativus, comes from the Arabic word faran, meaning yellow. The Romans and the Greeks used saffron not only as a dye but also as a spice. In the early days of Greece, yellow was the official color, and Grecian women were especially fond of clothes dyed with saffron. Because of its scarcity, saffron ranked among the most expensive dyes of the ancient world. 

Safflower Bastard saffron (Carthamus tinctoria) plants... 

Safflower, also known as bastard saffron, is a yellow dye that has been used for well over three millennia, having been identified in fabrics from the Egyptian twelfth dynasty. It is derived from the safflower plant, carthamus tinctoria, native to southern Asia and the Middle East. The coloring matter in the plants is a mixture of two components one is yellow, known as safflower yellow B the other, carthamin, is red. Safflower yellow B dissolves in water when fresh safflower flowers are washed with acidulated water. Evaporating the water from the filtered solution leaves the dye as a residue in the form of a powder. Following removal of the yellow component, the red constituent of safflower, carthamin, can be extracted from the flowers by washing them with hot water. In the East, carthamin was widely used in the past, mainly for making cosmetic preparations. 

Carthamus. Safflower African saffron thistle saffron American saffron false saffron bastard saffron Dyer s saffron. Florets of Carthamus tinclorius L. Compositae. Habit. Levant Orient cultivated extensively in Europe and America. Constit. Carthamin, safflor yellow. 

Antimony(V) sulfide Carthamin Crocetin Orpiment Safflower Antimonial saffron Bastard saffron Carthame Clarke (2001) 132 Ebeling (1923) Kuhn (1973) Merrifield (1849) 706 Schweppe (1992) 58 Strasburg MS ISth cent/tr. Borraxlaile, 1966) 91... 

Term for dyes and lake pigments based on safflower q.v. dye derived from Carthamis tinctorius L.). Also called bastard saffron and carthame by Watin (1785). 

Safflower Bastard saffron Carthame Watin (1773/edition of 1785) 27... 

Bastard (false) saffron, from safflower (dyer s saffron)... 

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