Carduncellus is a genus of flowering plants in the tribe Cardueae within the family Asteraceae. They are native to the western Mediterranean and surrounding regions.Vilatersana, R., et al. (2000). Generic delimitation and phylogeny of the Carduncellus-Carthamus complex (Asteraceae) based on ITS sequences. Plant Systematics and Evolution 221(1-2), 89-105.
The taxonomy of the genus is still unclear. It is closely related to the genus Carthamus, and the two groups have been treated as part of a species complex, with the boundaries between them not established. While some sources accept several names in Carduncellus,GRIN Species Records of Carduncellus. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN). others are more restrictive,Carduncellus. The Plant List. and some consider the genus to be synonymous with Carthamus, the genus that includes the safflower.Carduncellus. In: Greuter, W. & E. von Raab-Straube. (Eds.) Compositae. Euro+Med Plantbase. 2006.
Accepted speciesThe Plant List search for CarduncellusAltervista Flora Italiana, genere Carduncellus Carduncellus coeruleus C.Presl - Italy Carduncellus hispanicus Boiss. - Spain Carduncellus mairei Hanelt - Algeria Carduncellus monspeliensis St.-Lag. - Provence, Liguria
References
Further reading López González, G. (2012). Sobre la clasificación del complejo Carthamus-Carduncellus (Asteraceae, Cardueae-Centaureinae) y su tratamiento en flora ibérica. Acta Botanica Malacitana 37, 79–92.