Raffi at 12:37, 28 March 2007

2007-03-28T12:37:46Z

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{{Taxobox
| color = lightgreen
| name = Brassicaceae
| image = Barbarea vulgaris1.jpg
| image_width = 250px
| image_caption = [[Winter Cress]] (''Barbarea vulgaris)''
| regnum = [[Plant]]ae
| divisio = [[Flowering plant|Magnoliophyta]]
| classis = [[Dicotyledon|Magnoliopsida]]
| ordo = [[Brassicales]]
| familia = '''Brassicaceae'''
| familia_authority = [[Antoine Laurent de Jussieu|Juss.]]
| subdivision_ranks = [[Genus|Genera]]
| subdivision =
See text.
}}

The [[flowering plant]] [[family (biology)|family]] '''Brassicaceae''', also called '''Cruciferae''', is known as the '''mustard family''' or '''cabbage family'''. Agricultural plants in the mustard family are also known as '''cole crops'''; ''cole'' comes from the [[Latin]] word ''caulis'' (stem), as does the [[German language|German]] ''Kohl''.

The family contains species of great economic importance, providing much of the world's winter vegetables. These include [[cabbage]], [[broccoli]], [[cauliflower]], [[brussels sprout]]s, [[collard]]s, and [[kale]] (all cultivars of one species, ''[[Brassica oleracea]]''), [[Chinese kale]], [[rutabaga]] (also known as Swedish turnips or swedes), [[seakale]], [[Brassica rapa|turnip]], [[radish]] and [[Kohl Rabi|kohl rabi]]. Other well known members of the Brassicaceae include [[rapeseed]] ([[canola]] and others), [[mustard plant|mustard]], [[horseradish]], [[wasabi]] and [[watercress]].
The most intensely studied member of the Brassicaceae is the [[model organism]] ''[[Arabidopsis thaliana]]''.

The family was formerly named '''Cruciferae''' ("cross-bearing"), because the four [[petal]]s of their flowers are reminiscent of crosses. Many botanists still refer to members of the family as "crucifers". According to [[ICBN]] Art. 18.5 (St Louis Code) Cruciferae is to be regarded as validly published, and is thus an accepted alternate name. The name Brassicaceae is derived from the included genus ''Brassica''.

A close relationship has long been acknowledged between Brassicaceae and the caper family, [[Capparaceae]], in part because members of both groups produce [[glucosinolate]] (mustard oil) compounds. Recent research (Hall et al. 2002) suggests that Capparaceae as traditionally circumscribed are paraphyletic with respect to Brassicaceae, with ''[[Cleome]]'' and several related genera being more closely related to Brassicaceae than to other Capparaceae. The [[APG II]] system therefore merges the two families under the name Brassicaceae. Other classifications have continued to recognize Capparaceae but with a more restricted circumscription, either including ''Cleome'' and its relatives in Brassicaceae or recognizing them in the segregate family Cleomaceae.

==Plant diseases==

{{Main|List of crucifer diseases}}

==Use as food==
{{seealso|Cruciferous vegetables}}
The importance of this Family for food crops has lead to its selective breeding throughout history. Brassica oleracea, a plant of Atlantic Europe and the Mediterranean, is the precursor to Cabbage, Brussels Sprouts, Broccoli, Kohlrabi, Cauliflower, Kale, and most recently [[Broccoflower]], a hybrid of Broccoli and Cauliflower.

{| class="wikitable"
!Cultivar || Selected for...
|-
|Kale
|loose, curly leaves (most closely resembles the wild plant)
|-
|Cabbage
|enlarged terminal buds.
|-
|Brussels sprouts
|numerous lateral buds.
|-
|Kohlrabi
|enlarged stems.
|-
|Broccoli
|enlarged stems and flowering structures.
|-
|Cauliflower
|more extensive flowering structures. The whiteness is caused by the outer
leaves blocking sunlight and preventing the formation of chlorophyll. <ref>Sauer, J.D. 1993. Historical geography of crop plants - a select roster. CRC Press, Boca Raton, Florida</ref>
|}

<br>

==Distribution and description==
The mustard family is concentrated in the [[temperate]] regions and reaches maximal diversity around the [[Mediterranean]] area. It contains over 350 genera and about 3000 species.

The family consists of [[herbaceous]] plants with annual, bi-annual and perennial lifespans. Members of this family often have alternate (rarely opposite) leaves.
Most members share a suite of [[glucosinolate]] compounds that has a typical pungent odor usually associated with cole crops.

Whilst some members have seeds with a high [[erucic acid]] content, making these unsafe to eat in large doses, all members of this family are edible.

;Genera
{|
|- valign=top
|
*''[[Acanthocardamum]]''
*''[[Aethionema]]''
*''[[Agallis]]''
*''[[Alliaria]]''
*''[[Alyssoides]]''
*''[[Alysopsis]]''
*''[[Alyssum]]''
*''[[Ammosperma]]''
*''[[Anastatica]]''
*''[[Anchonium]]''
*''[[Andrzeiowskia]]''
*''[[Anelsonia]]''
*''[[Aphragmus]]''
*''[[Aplanodes]]''
*''[[Arabidella]]''
*''[[Arabidopsis]]''
*''[[Arabis]]''
*''[[Arcyosperma]]''
*''[[Horseradish|Armoracia]]''
*''[[Aschersoniodoxa]]''
*''[[Asperuginoides]]''
*''[[Asta (genus)|Asta]]''
*''[[Atelanthera]]''
*''[[Athysanus]]''
*''[[Aubrieta]]''
*''[[Aurinia]]''
*''[[Ballantinia]]''
*''[[Barbarea]]''
*''[[Beringia (plant)|Beringia]]''
*''[[Berteroa]]''
*''[[Berteroella]]''
*''[[Biscutella]]''
*''[[Bivonaea]]''
*''[[Blennodia]]''
*''[[Boleum]]''
*''[[Boreava]]''
*''[[Bornmuellera]]''
*''[[Borodinia]]''
*''[[Botscantzevia]]''
*''[[Brachycarpaea]]''
*''[[Brassica]]''
*''[[Braya]]''
*''[[Brayopsis]]''
*''[[Brossardia]]''
*''[[Bunias]]''
*''[[Cakile]]''
*''[[Calepina]]''
*''[[Calymmatium]]''
*''[[Camelina]]''
*''[[Camelinopsis]]''
*''[[Capsella]]''
*''[[Cardamine]]''
*''[[Cardaminopsis]]''
*''[[Cardaria]]''
*''[[Carinavalva]]''
*''[[Carrichtera]]''
*''[[Catadysia]]''
*''[[Catenulina]]''
*''[[Caulanthus]]''
*''[[Caulostramina]]''
*''[[Ceratocnemum]]''
*''[[Ceriosperma]]''
*''[[Chalcanthus]]''
*''[[Chamira]]''
*''[[Chartoloma]]''
*''[[Cheesemania]]''
*''[[Cheiranthus]]''
*''[[Chlorocrambe]]''
*''[[Chorispora]]''
*''[[Christolea]]''
*''[[Chrysobraya]]''
*''[[Chrysochamela]]''
*''[[Cithareloma]]''
*''[[Clastopus]]''
*''[[Clausia]]''
*''[[Clypeola]]''
*''[[Cochlearia]]''
*''[[Coelonema]]''
*''[[Coincya]]''
*''[[Coluteocarpus]]''
*''[[Conringia]]''
*''[[Cordylocarpus]]''
*''[[Coronopus]]''
*''[[Crambe]]''
*''[[Crambella]]''
*''[[Cremolobus]]''
*''[[Crucihimalaya]]''
*''[[Cryptospora]]''
*''[[Cuphonotus]]''
*''[[Cusickiella]]''
|
*''[[Cycloptychis]]''
*''[[Cymatocarpus]]''
*''[[Cyphocardamum]]''
*''[[Dactylocardamum]]''
*''[[Degenia]]''
*''[[Delpinophytum]]''
*''[[Descurainia]]''
*''[[Diceratella]]''
*''[[Dichasianthus]]''
*''[[Dictyophragmus]]''
*''[[Didesmus]]''
*''[[Didymophysa]]''
*''[[Dielsiocharis]]''
*''[[Dilophia]]''
*''[[Dimorphocarpa]]''
*''[[Diplotaxis]]''
*''[[Dipoma]]''
*''[[Diptychocarpus]]''
*''[[Dithyrea]]''
*''[[Dolichirhynchus]]''
*''[[Dontostemon]]''
*''[[Douepea]]''
*''[[Draba]]''
*''[[Drabastrum]]''
*''[[Drabopsis]]''
*''[[Dryopetalon]]''
*''[[Eigia]]''
*''[[Elburzia]]''
*''[[Enarthrocarpus]]''
*''[[Englerocharis]]''
*''[[Eremobium]]''
*''[[Eremoblastus]]''
*''[[Eremodraba]]''
*''[[Eremophyton]]''
*''[[Ermania]]''
*''[[Ermaniopsis]]''
*''[[Erophila]]''
*''[[Erucaria]]''
*''[[Erucastrum]]''
*''[[Erysimum]]''
*''[[Euclidium]]''
*''[[Eudema]]''
*''[[Eutrema]]''
*''[[Euzomodendron]]''
*''[[Farsetia]]''
*''[[Fezia]]''
*''[[Fibigia]]''
*''[[Foleyola]]''
*''[[Fortuynia]]''
*''[[Galitzkya]]''
*''[[Geococcus]]''
*''[[Glaribraya]]''
*''[[Glastaria]]''
*''[[Glaucocarpum]]''
*''[[Goldbachia]]''
*''[[Gorodkovia]]''
*''[[Graellsia]]''
*''[[Grammosperma]]''
*''[[Guiraoa]]''
*''[[Gynophorea]]''
*''[[Halimolobos]]''
*''[[Harmsiodoxa]]''
*''[[Hedinia]]''
*''[[Heldreichia]]''
*''[[Heliophila]]''
*''[[Hemicrambe]]''
*''[[Hemilophia]]''
*''[[Hesperis]]''
*''[[Heterodraba]]''
*''[[Hirschfeldia]]''
*''[[Hollermayera]]''
*''[[Hornungia]]''
*''[[Hornwoodia]]''
*''[[Hugueninia]]''
*''[[Hymenolobus]]''
*''[[Ianhedgea]]''
*''[[Iberis]]''
*''[[Idahoa]]''
*''[[Iodanthus]]''
*''[[Ionopsidium]]''
*''[[Irenepharsus]]''
*''[[Isatis]]''
*''[[Ischnocarpus]]''
*''[[Iskandera]]''
*''[[Iti]]''
*''[[Ivania]]''
*''[[Kernera]]''
*''[[Kremeriella]]''
*''[[Lachnocapsa]]''
*''[[Lachnoloma]]''
|
*''[[Leavenworthia]]''
*''[[Lepidium]]''
*''[[Lepidostemon]]''
*''[[Leptaleum]]''
*''[[Lesquerella]]''
*''[[Lignariella]]''
*''[[Lithodraba]]''
*''[[Lobularia]]''
*''[[Lonchophora]]''
*''[[Loxostem
on]]''
*''[[Lunaria]]''
*''[[Lyocarpus]]''
*''[[Lyrocarpa]]''
*''[[Macropodium]]''
*''[[Malcolmia]]''
*''[[Mancoa]]''
*''[[Maresia]]''
*''[[Mathewsia]]''
*''[[Matthiola]]''
*''[[Megacarpaea]]''
*''[[Megadenia]]''
*''[[Menkea]]''
*''[[Menonvillea]]''
*''[[Microlepidium]]''
*''[[Microsysymbrium]]''
*''[[Microstigma]]''
*''[[Morettia]]''
*''[[Moricandia]]''
*''[[Moriera]]''
*''[[Morisia]]''
*''[[Murbeckiella]]''
*''[[Muricaria]]''
*''[[Myagrum]]''
*''[[Nasturtiopsis]]''
*''[[Nasturtium (scientific name)|Nasturtium]]''
*''[[Neomartinella]]''
*''[[Neotchihatchewia]]''
*''[[Neotorularia]]''
*''[[Nerisyrenia]]''
*''[[Neslia]]''
*''[[Neuontobotrys]]''
*''[[Notoceras]]''
*''[[Notothlaspi]]''
*''[[Ochthodium]]''
*''[[Octoceras]]''
*''[[Olimarabidopsis]]''
*''[[Onuris (plant)|Onuris]]''
*''[[Oreoloma]]''
*''[[Oreophyton]]''
*''[[Ornithocarpa]]''
*''[[Orychophragmus]]''
*''[[Otocarpus]]''
*''[[Oudneya]]''
*''[[Pachycladon]]''
*''[[Pachymitus]]''
*''[[Pachyphragma]]''
*''[[Pachypterygium]]''
*''[[Parlatoria]]''
*''[[Parodiodoxa]]''
*''[[Parolinia]]''
*''[[Parrya]]''
*''[[Parryodes]]''
*''[[Pegaeophyton]]''
*''[[Peltaria]]''
*''[[Peltariopsis]]''
*''[[Pennellia]]''
*''[[Petiniotia]]''
*''[[Petrocallis]]''
*''[[Phaeonychium]]''
*''[[Phlebolobium]]''
*''[[Phlegmatospermum]]''
*''[[Phoenicaulis]]''
*''[[Physaria]]''
*''[[Physocardamum]]''
*''[[Physoptychis]]''
*''[[Physorrhynchus]]''
*''[[Platycraspedum]]''
*''[[Polyctenium]]''
*''[[Polypsecadium]]''
*''[[Pringlea]]''
*''[[Prionotrichon]]''
*''[[Pritzelago]]''
*''[[Pseuderucaria]]''
*''[[Pseudoarabidopsis]]''
*''[[Pseudocamelina]]''
*''[[Pseudoclausia]]''
*''[[Pseudofortuynia]]''
*''[[Pseudovesicaria]]''
*''[[Psychine]]''
*''[[Pterygiosperma]]''
|
*''[[Pterygostemon]]''
*''[[Pugionium]]''
*''[[Pycnoplinthopsis]]''
*''[[Pycnoplinthus]]''
*''[[Pyramidium]]''
*''[[Quezeliantha]]''
*''[[Quidproquo]]''
*''[[Raffenaldia]]''
*''[[Raphanorhyncha]]''
*''[[Raphanus]]''
*''[[Rapistrum]]''
*''[[Reboudia]]''
*''[[Redowskia]]''
*''[[Rhizobotrya]]''
*''[[Ricotia]]''
*''[[Robeschia]]''
*''[[Rollinsia]]''
*''[[Romanschulzia]]''
*''[[Roripella]]''
*''[[Rorippa]]''
*''[[Rytidocarpus]]''
*''[[Sameraria]]''
*''[[Sarcodraba]]''
*''[[Savignya]]''
*''[[Scambopus]]''
*''[[Schimpera]]''
*''[[Schivereckia]]''
*''[[Schizopetalon]]''
*''[[Schlechteria]]''
*''[[Schoenocrambe]]''
*''[[Schouwia]]''
*''[[Scoliaxon]]''
*''[[Selenia]]''
*''[[Sibara]]''
*''[[Silicularia]]''
*''[[Sinapidendron]]''
*''[[Sinapis]]''
*''[[Sisymbrella]]''
*''[[Sisymbriopsis]]''
*''[[Sisymbrium]]''
*''[[Smelowskia]]''
*''[[Sobolewslia]]''
*''[[Sohms-Laubachia]]''
*''[[Sophiopsis]]''
*''[[Sphaerocardamum]]''
*''[[Spirorhynchus]]''
*''[[Spryginia]]''
*''[[Staintoniella]]''
*''[[Stanfordia]]''
*''[[Stanleya]]''
*''[[Stenopetalum]]''
*''[[Sterigmostemum]]''
*''[[Stevenia]]''
*''[[Straussiella]]''
*''[[Streptanthella]]''
*''[[Streptanthus]]''
*''[[Streptoloma]]''
*''[[Stroganowia]]''
*''[[Stubebdorffia]]''
*''[[Subularia]]''
*''[[Succowia]]''
*''[[Synstemon]]''
*''[[Synthlipsis]]''
*''[[Taphrospermum]]''
*''[[Tauscheria]]''
*''[[Teesdalia]]''
*''[[Teesdaliopsis]]''
*''[[Tetracme]]''
*''[[Thelypodiopsis]]''
*''[[Thelypodium]]''
*''[[Thlaspeocarpa]]''
*''[[Thlaspi]]''
*''[[Thysanocarpus]]''
*''[[Trachystoma]]''
*''[[Trichotolinum]]''
*''[[Trochiscus]]''
*''[[Tropidocarpum]]''
*''[[Turritis]]''
*''[[Vella]]''
*''[[Warea]]''
*''[[Wasabia]]''
*''[[Weberbauera]]''
*''[[Werdermannia]]''
*''[[Winklera]]''
*''[[Xerodraba]]''
*''[[Yinshania]]''
*''[[Zerdana]]''
*''[[Zilla (genus)|Zilla]]''
|}

==References==

*Hall, J. C., K. J. Sytsma and H. H. Iltis. 2002. Phylogeny of Capparaceae and Brassicaceae based on chloroplast sequence data. ''American Journal of Botany'' 89: 1826-1842 (abstract [http://www.amjbot.org/cgi/content/abstract/89/11/1826 here]).

<references/>

== External links ==
{{wikispecies}}
* [http://delta-intkey.com/angio/www/crucifer.htm Brassicaceae] in [http://delta-intkey.com/angio/ L. Watson and M.J. Dallwitz (1992 onwards). The families of flowering plants: descriptions, illustrations, identification, information retrieval.] http://delta-int
key.com
* [http://www.botany.hawaii.edu/faculty/carr/brassic.htm Brassicaceae at www.botany.hawaii.edu]

[[Category:Brassicales]]
[[Category:Plant families]]
[[Category:Brassicaceae| ]]

Brassicaceae - Revision history

Raffi at 12:37, 28 March 2007