Brassica rapa
Brassica napus
bird's rape, bird-rape, canola, common mustard, field-mustard, rape, rapeseed, turnip, turnip-rape, wild-rape, wild-turnip
canola, oilseed rape, rape, rapeseed, rutabaga, swede, swede rape, Swedish turnip, turnip, turnip mustard, winter rape
unbranched or branched distally, 3–10 dm.
branched distally, 3–13 dm.
petiole (winged), (1–)2–10(–17) cm;
blade ± lyrate-pinnatifid to pinnate to pinnatisect, (5–)10–40(–60) cm × 30–100(–200) mm, (margins sinuate-dentate, sometimes ciliate), lobes 2–4(–6) each side, (terminal lobe oblong-obovate, obtuse, large, blade surfaces usually setose).
(rosulate when biennial);
petiole (often winged), to 15 cm;
blade lyrate-pinnatifid, ± pinnately lobed, 5–25(–40) cm × 20–70(–100) mm, lobes 0–6 each side, (smaller than terminal), surfaces (glaucous), glabrous or sparsely hairy when immature, glabrescent, or, rarely, pubescent.
(middle and distal) sessile;
base auriculate to amplexicaul, (margins subentire).
(middle and distal) sessile;
blade base auriculate or amplexicaul, (margins entire).
not paniculately branched, (with open flowers overtopping or equal to buds).
not paniculately branched, (buds overtopping or equal to open flowers).
sepals (3–)4–6.5(–8) × 1.5–2 mm;
petals deep yellow to yellow, obovate, 6–11(–13) × (2.5–)3–6(–7) mm, claw 3–7 mm, apex rounded;
filaments 4–6(–7) mm;
anthers 1.5–2 mm.
sepals (5–)6–10 × 1.5–2.5 mm;
petals golden or creamy to pale yellow, broadly obovate, 10–16 × (5–)6–9(–10) mm, claw 5–9 mm, apex rounded;
filaments (5–)7–10 mm;
anthers 1.5–2.5 mm.
ascending to spreading, (5–)10–25(–30) mm.
spreading to ascending (slender), 1–3 cm.
ascending to somewhat spreading, torulose, terete, (2–)3–8(–11) cm × 2–4(–5) mm;
valvular segment with 8–15 seeds per locule, (1.3–)2–5(–7.5) cm, terminal segment seedless, 8–22 mm.
spreading to ascending, smooth or slightly torulose, terete, (3.5–)5–10(–11) cm × (2.5–)3.5–5 mm;
valvular segment with 12–20(–30) seeds per locule, (3–)4–8.5(–9.5) cm, terminal segment usually seedless, rarely 1 or 2-seeded (attenuate-conic, thin), (5–)9–16 mm.
black, brown, or reddish, 1.1–2 mm diam.;
seed coat very finely reticulate-lightly alveolate, not mucilaginous when wetted.
dark brown to black, light brown, or reddish, 1.8–2.7(–3) mm diam.;
seed coat finely reticulate-alveolate, not mucilaginous when wetted.
= 20.
= 38.
Brassica rapa
Brassica napus
Brassica rapa is widely cultivated as an oil crop and vegetable, and cultivars, especially in Asia, have been recognized as species, subspecies, and varieties. The most important crops include: rapeseed or canola, turnip (subsp. rapa), Chinese mustard or pakchoi [subsp. chinensis (Linnaeus) Hanelt], and Chinese cabbage or petsai [subsp. pekinensis (Loureiro) Hanelt]. The species is also a widespread naturalized weed [subsp. sylvestris (Linnaeus) Janchen] throughout temperate North America and elsewhere. It is self-incompatible. Hybridization in the field in Europe has been described between B. napus and B. rapa (R. B. Jørgensen and B. Andersen 1994).
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Brassica napus is both a crop and a sporadically occurring naturalized weed in North America, grown in two forms recognized by some as subspecies. Subspecies napus (rape, rapeseed, or canola) is an annual with slender roots widely cultivated as an oil crop and is the most commonly naturalized. Subspecies rapifera Metzger [= subsp. napobrassica (Linnaeus) Hanelt] (rutabaga, swede, or Swedish turnip) is a biennial with fleshy roots that rarely escapes from cultivation.
Although Brassica napus has been reported as a weed from most southeastern states, it is very likely that most reports represent misidentifications of B. rapa (I. A. Al-Shehbaz 1985). It is difficult to distinguish between plants of B. napus and B. rapa that lack flowers and proximal leaves.
Brassica napus is an allotetraploid derived from hybridization between the B. oleracea complex (n = 9) and B. rapa (n = 10). Its center of origin is uncertain but likely Mediterranean Europe, with molecular data supporting evidence of multiple independent origins between the parental taxa B. oleracea and B. rapa and its related n = 9 species (Song K. et al. 1993). Specimens from West Virginia have not been observed.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
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WildflowerSearch
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- Local floras: BC, CA, OR, WA
- Local Web sites: CalFlora, CalPhotos, Flora NW, Go Botany, IL Wildflowers, LA Plants, MD Biodiversity, MI Flora, MO Plants, PNW Herbaria
- WildflowerSearch
- iNaturalist (observations)
- USDA Plants Database
- LBJ Wildflower Center
- SEINet
- Plants of the World Online
- Encyclopedia of Life
- Wikipedia
- Google Image Search
