Brassicaceae, also called Cruciferae, the mustard family, of the order Brassicales, a large assemblage of 338 genera and some 3,710 species of mostly herbaceous plants with peppery-flavoured leaves. The family includes many plants of economic importance that have been extensively altered and domesticated by humans. The members’ flowers are in the form of a Greek cross, with four petals, usually white, yellow, or lavender, and an equal number of sepals. There are four long and two short stamens and a two-chambered ovary positioned above the other flower parts. The seeds are produced in podlike fruits and often have a mucilaginous coating that swells when wetted.
The most important genus is Brassica, with about 40 Old World species and including the cabbages, mustards, and rapes. One species, B. oleracae, has many edible varieties, such as broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, kale, and kohlrabi. B. rapa is the turnip, and B. napobrassica is the Swedish turnip, or rutabaga. B. napus is the rape plant. The leaves of B. napus are used in salads and for cattle forage, and the seeds are added to birdseed mixtures and also are pressed for canola oil. The species B. pekinensis and B. chinensis are Chinese cabbage. The seeds of B. juncea are the source of the condiment mustard. Oil is derived from the seeds of B. campestris (sometimes considered B. rapa), B. hirta,and B. juncea. Black mustard (B. nigra) seeds were formerly another source of table mustard. The plant, native in Eurasia and naturalized in North America, is a widespread weed.
Leaves, Stem & Roots ~ The leaves are usually alternate up the stem. In species which are used as food crops, plants have been selected and bred to maximise the size of the part used - large, fleshy roots as in Turnips or Swedes, large leaves as in Cabbages, large flower buds as in Cauliflower and Broccoli.
Flowers ~ It is the flowers which give this plant family its original name of Cruciferae They are cruciform, made up of four petals in a cross shape. They are usually in clusters or heads, and the flowers are very often white or yellow, although they may be red, blue, orange, white, pink or mauve, particularly in species cultivated for ornament. Rarely (as in the Candytuft), there are two large and two small petals.
Seeds ~ The seedpods of this plant family are also fairly easily identifiable. They are formed of two chambers joined by a thin membrane, which opens from the bottom. The seed pod may be round and flat, as in Honesty, or it may be long and thin, as in Wallflowers or Bitter Cress. The flat membrane often remains after the outer surface of the seed capsule has been shed.
| common name | genus | specific epithet | Cultivar group |
|---|---|---|---|
| Horseradish | Armoracia | rusticana | |
| Land cress | Barbarea | verna | |
| Ethiopian mustard | Brassica | carinata | |
| Kale | Brassica | oleracea | Acephala group |
| collard greens | Brassica | oleracea | Acephala Group |
| Chinese broccoli | Brassica | oleracea | Alboglabra Group |
| Cabbage | Brassica | oleracea | Capitata Group |
| Savoy cabbage | Brassica | oleracea | Savoy Cabbage Group |
| Brussels sprouts | Brassica | oleracea | Gemmifera Group |
| Kohlrabi | Brassica | oleracea | Gongylodes Group |
| Broccoli | Brassica | oleracea | Italica Group |
| Broccoflower | Brassica | oleracea | Italica Group × Botrytis Group |
| Broccoli romanesco | Brassica | oleracea | Botrytis Group / Italica Group |
| Cauliflower | Brassica | oleracea | Botrytis Group |
| Wild broccoli | Brassica | oleracea | Oleracea Group |
| Bok choy | Brassica | rapa | chinensis |
| Komatsuna | Brassica | rapa | pervidis or komatsuna |
| Mizuna | Brassica | rapa | nipposinica |
| Rapini | Brassica | rapa | parachinensis |
| Flowering cabbage | Brassica | rapa | parachinensis |
| Chinese cabbage | Brassica | rapa | pekinensis |
| Turnip root; greens | Brassica | rapa | rapifera |
| Rutabega | Brassica | napus | napobrassica |
| Siberian kale | Brassica | napus | pabularia |
| Canola | Brassica | rapa/napus | oleifera |
| Wrapped heart mustard cabbage | Brassica | juncea | rugosa |
| Mustard seeds, brown; greens | Brassica | juncea | |
| White mustard seeds | Brassica (or Sinapis) | hirta | |
| Black mustard seeds | Brassica | nigra | |
| Tatsoi | Brassica | rosularis | |
| Wild arugula | Diplotaxis | tenuifolia | |
| Arugula | Eruca | vesicaria | |
| Field pepperweed | Lepidium | campestre | |
| Maca | Lepidium | meyenii | |
| Garden cress | Lepidium | sativum | |
| Watercress | Nasturtium | officinale | |
| Radish | Raphanus | sativus | |
| Daikon | Raphanus | sativus | longipinnatus |
| Wasabi | Wasabia | japonica |
*Chart via wikipedia.com