Cypsela macro and micromorphological features of 28 taxa belonging to 7 genera namely Saussurea DC. s.str., Lipschitziella Kamelin , Himalaiella Raab-Straube, Dolomiaea DC, Aucklandia Falconer, Frolovia (DC.) Lipsch. and Shangwua Yu J. Wang of the tribe Cardueae (Asteraceae) were studied through light and scanning electron microscope to assess their taxonomic significance. Various cypsela features like pappus series, cypsela shape and surface patterns were found most significant characters for the taxonomic delimitation of Saussurea (s.l.). The genus Saussurea s.str. was delined from its allied genera by having biseriate pappus. While, in remaining genera pappus were either uniseriate or multiseriate and among these genera, Dolomiaea was characterized due to multiseriate pappus. While, remaining genera such as, Lipschitziella, Himalaiella, Aucklandia, Shangwa and Frolovia had uniseriate pappus. Furthermore, these genera could be delimited on the basis of cypsela shape and surface patterns. Similar to the generic delimitation, cypsela micro and macromorphological characters were also found to be useful for specific delimitation within studied genera. Most of the cypsela morphological variables when analyzed numerically, also proved the taxonomic affiliation within all the taxa of the genus Saussurea and its allied genera. Similarly, these cypsela features could be well correlated with the gross morphological and molecular decisions at generic and partially for specific delimitation of Saussurea (s.l.) from Pakistan and Kashmir.