THE CRUCIFER OR MUSTARD FAMILY 11 



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4. The Crucifer or Mustard Family 



(Cruciferae). 



Herbs without milky juice. Flowers radial, with four sepals and 

 four petals, arranged crosswise. Stamens six, the two outer shorter, 

 and the four inner longer. Ovary superior, formed of two carpels. 

 Fruit a pod, divided into two valves by a central frame to which the 

 seeds adhere. 



The Indian Mustard (Brass i ca jimcea) . 



(Compare Rape, Plate No. 625.) 



{Kan. Sasive. Mai. Kaduka. Tarn. Kadugu. Tel. Avalu. San. Sarshapah, 



Raktajaji, Dundubha) 



If you bruise some Mustard seeds between two pieces of 

 paper, a grease spot is left on the paper. This is due to the 

 presence of a fatty oil in the seed. Some plants, like the Rose 

 aud " Tulasi", have another kind of oil in their leaves which does 

 not cause a grease spot, but vanishes quickly. This kind of oil 

 is called a "volatile" oil and is generally the cause of the scent 

 in flowers. The " fatty " oil serves as a food for the young seedling. 



The Mustard seed has also a volatile oil which is very pun- 

 gent and will cause tears to come to the eyes. It is this oil 

 which protects the seed from being eaten by birds, and which 

 makes the seed useful to us as a condiment or medicine, and it 

 is for the oils in its seeds that the plant is so commonly grown. 



1. The Stem grows to a height of 4 or 5 feet and spreads 

 into many branches. 



2. As in the Poppy, the Leaves gradually become smaller 

 as they grow higher up the stem. In this case, though, the 

 upper leaves have quite a different shape from those which grow 

 at the bottom: the upper leaves have no stalks and are long 

 narrow and toothed, whereas the latter have long stalks and are 

 lyrate, that is, are lobed and have the end lobe larger than the 

 others. (The leaves of Rape are stem-clasping which those of 

 Mustard are not: see Rape, Plate No. 625.) — The leaves, too, 

 point upwards, and if you watch the rain falling on them or 



