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Brassica Sp. - Mustard

Family: Brassicaceae [E-flora]

"Annual to perennial herb; hairs simple or 0. Stem: erect, simple or branched, glabrous or hairy distally. Leaf: basal petioled, generally rosetted, dentate to pinnately lobed; cauline petioled or sessile, bases lobed or not. Inflorescence: terminal. Flower: sepals erect to ascending, base generally not sac-like; petals generally yellow, clawed. Fruit: silique, linear, dehiscent, segmented, round or 4-sided to flat parallel to septum; valves 1-veined, glabrous; terminal segment conic to cylindric, 0–3-seeded; stigma entire to ± 2-lobed. Seed: (4)10–50, in 1 row, spheric to ovoid.
35 species: Mediterranean, Eurasia, some naturalized ± worldwide. (Latin: cabbage) Brassica including most important vegetable, seed-oil, condiment crops in Brassicaceae." [Jepson]

Local Species;

  1. Brassica juncea - Indian mustard [E-flora]
  2. Brassica napus - Turnip [E-flora]
  3. Brassica nigra - Black mustard [E-flora]
  4. Brassica rapa - Field Mustard [E-flora]

Brassica juncea - Indian mustard

Status: Exotic [E-flora]

Remediation

"Transgenic Indian mustard (Brassica juncea L. Czern) plants overexpressing the enzyme ¦Ã-glutamylcysteine synthetase (ECS) accumulated from 2 to 3 times more Pb2+ than wild type plants (Bennett et al., 2003)." [LCMR]

Synonyms and Alternate Names

Brassica napus - Turnip

Status: Exotic [E-flora]

Synonyms

Brassica nigra - Black mustard

"The Black Mustard is found about dooryards, neglected gardens, roadsides, fields, and waste places generally. It is a native of Europe and Asia but has become so thoroughly naturalized in America that it now grows over much of southern Canada and nearly all of the United States." [EWP]

"Brassica nigra is a ANNUAL growing to 1.2 m (4ft) by 0.6 m (2ft in).
It is hardy to zone (UK) 7 and is not frost tender. It is in flower from Jun to August, and the seeds ripen from Jul to September. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by Bees, flies.The plant is self-fertile.
Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils and can grow in very acid soils.
It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers moist soil. The plant can tolerate maritime exposure." [PFAF]

Origin Status: Exotic [E-flora]

Hazard

"When eaten in large quantities, the seed and pods have sometimes proved toxic to grazing animals[85]. Mustard allergy possibly especially in children and adolescents. Retention of seeds possibly in intestines if taken internally [301]." [PFAF]

Food Use

Other Uses

Medicinal Use

Black Mustard – Brassica nigra

Part: Greens Per 100 g fresh weight
Food Energy (Kcal) 31 Ash (g) 1.4 Potassium (mg) 377
Water (g) 90 Thiamine (mg) 0.11 Magnesium (mg) -
Protein (g) 3 Riboflavin (mg) 0.22 Calcium (mg) 183
Fat (g) 0.5 Niacin (mg) 0.8 Phosphorus (mg) 50
Carbohydrate (g) 5.6 Vitamin C (mg) 97 Sodium (mg) 32
Crude Fiber (g) 1.1 Vitamin A (RE) - Iron (mg) 3
Zinc (mg) - Manganese (mg) - Copper (mg) -

Cultivation
"An easily grown plant, black mustard is suited to many types of soils except very heavy clays, it grows best on light sandy loams, or deep rich fertile soils[269]. Succeeds in full sun in a well-drained fertile preferably alkaline soil[200]. Prefers a heavy soil in an open position[16]. Another report says that it prefers a light well-drained soil and some shade in the summer[52]. The plant tolerates an annual precipitation of 30 to 170cm, an annual average temperature range of 6 to 27°C and a pH in the range of 4.9 to 8.2[269]. Black mustard is adapted to a wide variety of climatic conditions, it is often grown in the temperate zone though it is mainly suited to tropical areas, and grown chiefly as a rainfed crop in areas of low or moderate rainfall[269]. Black mustard is often cultivated for its edible seed, though it is going out of favour because it rapidly sheds its seeds once they are ripe and this makes it harder to harvest mechanically than the less pungent brown mustard (Brassica juncea).. This is used especially as a food flavouring, though it is also sown with the seeds of garden cress (Lepidium sativum) to provide mustard and cress, a salading eaten when the seedlings are about one week old. Black mustard is also grown as a medicinal plant. It germinates freely and quickly grows rapidly and makes a very useful green manure. The plants are not very winter hardy so the seed is best sown in the spring when grown for its seed whilst it can be sown as late as late summer as a green manure crop. The flowers have a pleasing perfume, though this is only noticed if several flowers are inhaled at the same time[245]." [PFAF]

Propagation
"Seed - sow in situ from early spring until late summer in order to obtain a succession of crops. The main crop for seed is sown in April." [PFAF]

Synonyms

Brassica rapa - Field Mustard

"Brassica rapa is a BIENNIAL growing to 0.5 m (1ft 8in).
It is not frost tender. It is in flower from May to August, and the seeds ripen from Jul to September. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by Bees.The plant is self-fertile.
Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils and can grow in very acid and very alkaline soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers moist soil." [PFAF]

Origin Status: Exotic [E-flora]

Edible Uses

Other Uses

Medicinal Uses

Wild Turnip – Brassica rapa [218] [PFAF]

Part: Leaves Per 100 g dry weight
Food Energy (Kcal) 2300 [230??] Ash (g) 12 Potassium (mg) 4500
Water (g) 0 Thiamine (mg) 30 Magnesium (mg) -
Protein (g) 30 Riboflavin (mg) 2 Calcium (mg) 1600
Fat (g) 4 Niacin (mg) 8 Phosphorus (mg) 1000
Carbohydrate (g) 54 Vitamin C (mg) 500 Sodium (mg) -
Fiber (g) 7 Vitamin A (RE) - Iron (mg) 17
Zinc (mg) - Manganese (mg) - Copper (mg) -

Bird Rape Mustard – Brassica rapa

Part: Greens Per 100 g fresh weight
Food Energy (Kcal) 22 Ash (g) 1.4 Potassium (mg) -
Water (g) 92 Thiamine (mg) 0.12 Magnesium (mg) -
Protein (g) 2.2 Riboflavin (mg) 0.29 Calcium (mg) 252
Fat (g) 0.3 Niacin (mg) 1.1 Phosphorus (mg) 62
Carbohydrate (g) 3.9 Vitamin C (mg) 130 Sodium (mg) -
Crude Fiber (g) 1 Vitamin A (RE) 990 Iron (mg) 3
Zinc (mg) - Manganese (mg) - Copper (mg) -

Cultivation

"Turnip is basically a cool climate crop that is resistant to frost and mild freezes[269]. The plants are very easily grown, provided they grow quickly when young and the soil is not allowed to dry out[264]. They succeed in full sun in a well-drained fertile preferably alkaline soil[200]. Turnips grow best in deep, friable, highly fertile soil with pH 5.5 - 6.8[269]. They are said to prefer a light sandy soil, especially when grown for an early crop in the spring, and dislike a heavy soil[37, 269]. They prefer cool moist growing conditions[16]. Turnips tolerate an annual precipitation of 35 to 410cm, an annual average temperature range of 3.6 to 27.4oC and a pH in the range of 4.2 to 7.8[269]. Temperatures below 10oC cause the plants to run to seed, even if they have not yet formed an edible root[269]. The turnip is often cultivated, both in the garden and commercially, for its edible root. A fast growing plant, it can take less than ten weeks from sowing to harvesting[264]. Its short growing season makes turnips very adaptable as a catch crop[269]. There are several named varieties and by careful selection and successional sowing it is possible to harvest roots all year round. The roots are fairly cold hardy and can be left in the ground during the winter, harvesting them as required. However, they can be troubled by slugs and other creatures so it is often better to harvest them in late autumn or early winter and store them in a cool but frost-free place. This species has long been cultivated as an edible plant and a large number of forms have been developed. Botanists have divided these forms into a number of groups, and these are detailed below. Separate entries in the database have been made for each group. B. rapa. The species was actually named for the cultivated garden turnip with its edible swollen tap root. This form is dealt with on this record. B. rapa campestris. This is the wild form of the species. It does not have a swollen root and is closest to the forms grown for their oil-rich seeds. B. rapa chinensis. Pak choi has long been cultivated in the Orient for its large tender edible leaves which are mainly produced in the summer and autumn. B. rapa dichotoma. Cultivated in the Orient mainly for its oil-rich seeds. B. rapa narinosa. Chinese savoy is another Oriental form. It is grown for its edible leaves. B. rapa nipposinica. Mizuna is a fast-growing cold-hardy form with tender edible leaves that can be produced all year round. B. rapa oleifera. The stubble turnip has a swollen edible root, though it is considered too coarse for human consumption and is grown mainly for fodder and as a green manure. It is also cultivated for its oil-rich seeds. B. rapa parachinensis. False pak choi is very similar to B. rapa chinensis with tender edible leaves, though it is considerably more cold-hardy. B. rapa pekinensis. Chinese cabbages are widely grown in the Orient. The large tender leaves often form a cabbage-like head. B. rapa perviridis. Spinach mustard is grown for its edible leaves. A very cold-hardy plant, and also able to withstand summer heat, it can provide a crop all year round. B. rapa trilocularis. Indian colza is mainly grown for its oil-rich seeds. Grows well with peas but dislikes growing with hedge mustard and knotweed[18, 20]. A good bee plant[108]." [PFAF]

Propagation

"Seed - sow in situ from early spring to late summer. The first sowing can be made under cloches in late winter and will be ready for use in early summer. The latest sowings for winter use can be made in mid to late summer." [PFAF]

Synonyms

References

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