Leaves generally basal and cauline, alternate, generally simple; stipules 0
Inflorescence: generally raceme
Flower bisexual; sepals 4, free; petals (0)4, free, generally white or yellow, often clawed; stamens generally (2,4)6, generally 4 long, 2 short; ovary 1, superior, chambers generally 2, septum membranous, connecting 2 parietal placentas, style 1, stigma simple or 2-lobed
Fruit: generally capsule ("silique") with 2 deciduous valves, sometimes breaking transversely or indehiscent
Seeds 1–many per chamber
Genera in family: 300+ genera, 3000+ species: worldwide, especially cool regions; some cultivated for food (especially Brassica, Raphanus ) and ornamental
Recent taxonomic note: Recently treated to include Capparaceae [Rodman et al. 1993 Ann Missouri Bot Gard 80:686–699; Rollins 1993 Cruciferae of Continental North America. Stanford Univ Press]
Family description, key to genera by Robert A. Price.
BRASSICA
MUSTARD, TURNIP
Annual, perennial herb; hairs simple
Stem erect, branched, glabrous above
Leaves: basal and lower cauline petioled, dentate to pinnately lobed, lateral lobes < terminal
Inflorescence terminal; bracts ± 0
Flower: sepals erect; petals generally yellow
Fruit linear; valves 1-veined; beak conic or cylindric, with seeds 0 or rarely 1–2
Seeds many, 1 row per chamber, spheric, finely to coarsely netted
Species in genus: ± 35 species: Medit, Eurasia, some naturalized ± worldwide
Etymology: (Latin: cabbage)
Naturalizing CVS soon lose desirable food properties. B. oleracea L., cabbage, with thick, glaucous leaves and open inflorescence, is established on se-facing seacliffs, n CCo, c&s NCo.
| Introduced |
B. juncea (L.) Czernov
INDIAN MUSTARD
Annual 4–10 dm, glabrous, ± glaucous
Leaves: basal early deciduous, < 2.5 dm, lobes in 2–3 pairs or 0; cauline dentate to lobed, upper reduced, base tapered, petiole short or 0
Flower: petals > 6 mm, pale yellow
Fruit ± spreading to ascending, 2–4 cm, subcylindric; pedicel spreading to ascending, 1–1.5 cm, slender; beak 5–10 mm, slender
Seed finely netted
Chromosomes: 2n=16
Ecology: Uncommon. Fields, disturbed areas
Elevation: < 300 m.
Bioregional distribution: Great Central Valley
Distribution outside California: native to Eurasia
Cult for seed.
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