''Brassica'' () is a genus of plants in the cabbage and mustard family ( Brassicaceae). The members of the genus are informally known as cruciferous vegetables,

cabbage Cabbage, comprising several cultivars of ''Brassica oleracea'', is a leafy green, red (purple), or white (pale green) biennial plant grown as an annual vegetable crop for its dense-leaved heads. It is descended from the wild cabbage ( ''B.&nb ...

s, or mustard plants. Crops from this genus are sometimes called ''cole crops''derived from the Latin ''caulis'', denoting the stem or stalk of a plant. The genus ''Brassica'' is known for its important

agricultural Agriculture or farming is the practice of cultivating Plant, plants and livestock. Agriculture was the key development in the rise of Sedentism, sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of Domestication, domesticated species created food ...

and horticultural crops and also includes a number of weeds, both of wild taxa and escapees from cultivation. ''Brassica'' species and varieties commonly used for food include bok choy, broccoli,

cauliflower Cauliflower is one of several vegetables in the species ''Brassica oleracea'' in the genus ''Brassica'', which is in the Brassicaceae (or mustard) family. It is an annual plant that reproduces by seed. Typically, only the head is eaten – the ...

, choy sum,

kohlrabi Kohlrabi (pronounced ; scientific name ''Brassica oleracea'' Gongylodes Group), also called German turnip or turnip cabbage, is a biennial vegetable, a low, stout cultivar of wild cabbage. It is a cultivar of the same species as cabbage, broccol ...

, napa cabbage, rutabaga, turnip and some seeds used in the production of canola oil and the condiment mustard. Over 30 wild species and hybrids are in cultivation, plus numerous cultivars and hybrids of cultivated origin. Most are seasonal plants ( annuals or

biennials A biennial plant is a flowering plant that, generally in a temperate climate, takes two years to complete its biological life cycle. Life cycle In its first year, the biennal plant undergoes primary growth, during which its vegetative structures ...

), but some are small shrubs. ''Brassica'' plants have been the subject of much scientific interest for their agricultural importance. Six particular species ('' B. carinata'', '' B. juncea'', '' B. oleracea'', '' B. napus'', '' B. nigra'', and '' B. rapa'') evolved by the combining of chromosomes from three earlier species, as described by the triangle of U theory. The genus is native to Western Europe, the Mediterranean and temperate regions of Asia. Many wild species grow as weeds, especially in

North America North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere and almost entirely within the Western Hemisphere. It is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South America and the Car ...

, South America, and

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

. A dislike for cabbage or broccoli can result from the fact that these plants contain a compound similar to phenylthiocarbamide (PTC), which is either bitter or tasteless to people depending on their taste buds.

Uses

Food

The flowers, seeds, stalks, and tender leaves of many species of ''Brassica'' can be eaten raw or cooked. Almost all parts of some species have been developed for food, including the root ( swede, turnip), stems (

), leaves (

, collard greens,

kale Kale (), or leaf cabbage, belongs to a group of cabbage (''Brassica oleracea'') cultivars grown for their edible leaves, although some are used as ornamentals. Kale plants have green or purple leaves, and the central leaves do not form a head ...

), flowers (

, broccoli,

romanesco broccoli Romanesco broccoli (also known as Roman cauliflower, Broccolo Romanesco, Romanesque cauliflower, Romanesco or broccoflower) is an edible flower bud of the species ''Brassica oleracea''. It is chartreuse in color, and has a form naturally approxi ...

), buds ( Brussels sprouts,

), and seeds (many, including

mustard seed Mustard seeds are the small round seeds of various mustard plants. The seeds are usually about in diameter and may be colored from yellowish white to black. They are an important spice in many regional foods and may come from one of three diff ...

, and oil-producing rapeseed). Some forms with white or purple foliage or flowerheads are also sometimes grown for ornament. ''Brassica'' species are sometimes used as food plants by the larvae of a number of

Lepidoptera Lepidoptera ( ) is an order (biology), order of insects that includes butterfly, butterflies and moths (both are called lepidopterans). About 180,000 species of the Lepidoptera are described, in 126 Family (biology), families and 46 Taxonomic r ...

species—see List of Lepidoptera that feed on Brassica.

Cooking

Boiling substantially reduces the levels of broccoli glucosinolates, while other cooking methods, such as

steaming Steaming is a method of cooking using steam. This is often done with a food steamer, a kitchen appliance made specifically to cook food with steam, but food can also be steamed in a wok. In the American southwest, steam pits used for cooking ha ...

, microwaving, and

stir frying Stir frying () is a cooking technique in which ingredients are fried in a small amount of very hot oil while being stirred or tossed in a wok. The technique originated in China and in recent centuries has spread into other parts of Asia and th ...

, have no significant effect on glucosinolate levels.

Species

There is some disagreement among botanists on the classification and status of ''Brassica'' species and subspecies. The following is an abbreviated list, with an emphasis on economically important species. * ''

Brassica balearica ''Brassica'' () is a genus of plants in the cabbage and mustard family (Brassicaceae). The members of the genus are informally known as cruciferous vegetables, cabbages, or mustard plants. Crops from this genus are sometimes called ''cole cro ...

'': Mallorca cabbage * '' Brassica carinata'': Abyssinian mustard or Abyssinian cabbage, used to produce biodiesel * ''

Brassica elongata ''Brassica elongata'', the elongated mustard or long-stalked rape, is a species of the mustard plant that is native to parts of Central Europe, Eastern Europe, the Balkan Peninsula, the Caucasus, Morocco and parts of Central Asia. Through plant inv ...

'': elongated mustard * ''

Brassica fruticulosa ''Brassica fruticulosa'', the Mediterranean cabbage or twiggy turnip, is a member of the agriculturally significant genus ''Brassica''. It was described by Domenico Maria Leone Cirillo in 1792. Description ''Brassica fruticulosa'' has a similar ...

'': Mediterranean cabbage * ''

Brassica hilarionis ''Brassica hilarionis'' is a species of plant in the family Brassicaceae. It is endemic to Cyprus and classified as endangered. The species flowers from March to May.An Illustrated Flora of North Cyprus by D. E. Viney, Published by Koeltz Scient ...

'': St. Hilarion cabbage * '' Brassica juncea'': Indian mustard, brown and leaf mustards, Sarepta mustard * ''

Brassica napus Rapeseed (''Brassica napus ''subsp.'' napus''), also known as rape, or oilseed rape, is a bright-yellow flowering member of the family Brassicaceae (mustard or cabbage family), cultivated mainly for its oil-rich seed, which naturally contains a ...

'': rapeseed, canola, rutabaga,

Siberian kale Siberia ( ; rus, Сибирь, r=Sibir', p=sʲɪˈbʲirʲ, a=Ru-Сибирь.ogg) is an extensive geographical region, constituting all of North Asia, from the Ural Mountains in the west to the Pacific Ocean in the east. It has been a part of ...

* ''

Brassica narinosa ''Tatsoi'' (''Brassica rapa subsp. narinosa'' or ''Brassica rapa var. rosularis'') is an Asian variety of ''Brassica rapa'' grown for greens. Also called tat choy, it is closely related to the more familiar Bok Choy. This plant has become popu ...

'': broadbeaked mustard * '' Brassica nigra'': black mustard * '' Brassica oleracea'':

, collard greens, broccoli,

, '' kai-lan'', Brussels sprouts,

* ''

Brassica perviridis or Japanese mustard spinach (''Brassica rapa'' var. ''perviridis'') is a leaf vegetable. It is a variety of ''Brassica rapa'', the plant species that yields the turnip, mizuna, napa cabbage, and rapini. It is grown commercially in Japan and Ta ...

'': tender green, mustard spinach * '' Brassica rapa'' (syn. ''B. campestris''): Chinese cabbage, turnip, rapini, '' komatsuna'' * ''

Brassica rupestris ''Brassica rupestris'' is a species of flowering plant in the family Brassicaceae, native to southwestern Italy, and Sicily. The plant is known to grow on vertical limestone cliffs. In the past it was proposed, based on morphology, that ''Brassic ...

'' Raf. * ''

Brassica spinescens ''Brassica'' () is a genus of plants in the cabbage and mustard family (Brassicaceae). The members of the genus are informally known as cruciferous vegetables, cabbages, or mustard plants. Crops from this genus are sometimes called ''cole cro ...

'': * '' Brassica tournefortii'': Asian mustard

Species formerly placed in ''Brassica''

* ''B. alba'' or ''B. hirta'' (white or yellow mustard)—see '' Sinapis alba'' * ''B. geniculata'' (hoary mustard)—see ''

Hirschfeldia incana ''Hirschfeldia incana'' (formerly ''Brassica geniculata'') is a species of flowering plant in the mustard family known by many common names, including shortpod mustard, buchanweed, hoary mustard and Mediterranean mustard. It is the only species i ...

'' * ''B. kaber'' (wild mustard or charlock)—see ''

Sinapis arvensis ''Sinapis arvensis'', the charlock mustard, field mustard, wild mustard, or charlock, is an annual or winter annual plant of the genus ''Sinapis'' in the family Brassicaceae. It is found in the fields of North Africa, Asia and Europe. '' Pieri ...

Genome sequencing and genetics

Bayer CropScience (in collaboration with BGI-Shenzhen, China; KeyGene; the Netherlands and the University of Queensland, Australia) announced it had sequenced the entire genome of rapeseed (canola, ''Brassica napus'') and its constituent genomes present in ''B. rapa'' and ''B. oleracea'' in 2009. The ''B. rapa'' genome was sequenced by the Multinational Brassica Genome Project in 2011. This also represents the A genome component of the amphidiploid crop species ''B. napus'' and ''B. juncea''.

Etymology

'Brassica' was Pliny the Elder's name for several cabbage-like plants.Gledhill, David (2008). "The Names of Plants". Cambridge University Press. (hardback), (paperback). pp 76

References

External links

* {{Authority control Brassicaceae genera Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus