of the Genm Brasska. 291 



tive among the oleiferous cruciferous plants, and is known bv 

 the following distmctions: its leaves are entire, and nrolono-ed 

 at then- basis by little ear-like appendices; its seed-pods Ire 

 ol an oval shape, narrow at the lower part next the peduncle 

 and contain a great number of small seeds. 



The Third is the adtivated Radish, Raphamis sativus, which 

 might easily be mistaken, when young, for the Brasska Rapa, 

 and one ot its races bears in France the name of Rave- ifS 

 distinguished by its seed-pod being nearly acuminated, of 

 spongy consistency, never opening spontaneous^, and havino- 

 compartments withm to keep the seed separated. It is said to 

 grow wild m the south of Europe, but this seems to' be li tie 

 more than a conjecture. If it should be, as it is supposed, t e 

 Pa^uns* of Theophrastus, it would most probably be a native 

 of Greece or the neighbouring countries; its analogy to otl er 

 species of the same group, and, wliat we know ah-eady con- 

 cermng one of its varieties, Raphanus saihus oleiferus, would 

 make me suppose it to have come from Asia. The Ravhams 

 sattvus, which I studied at the same time with the bZssZ 

 ought, I conceive, to be separated into two distinct divisions' 

 each ot whidi may probably prove to be species capable 

 of being subdivided into several varieties and sub-varieties 

 M ler assures us that he has cultivated them for forty years 

 without any alteration; nevertheless, most of the modern c^ 1 

 tiva ors have observed several variations in them. Monsieur 

 Audibert, for example, thinks that the colour is more ZZZ 

 nent than the form ; others speak of several changes of Colour 

 TJie following divisions, however, appear to be colistant: first' 

 hat of the common Radish, Raphanus commumss its charac: 

 ter, a fleshy root, neither compact nor tuberous, of a red or 

 white colour but never black ; this is divided into three races 

 perfectly analogous to those of the Brasska Rapa, 



First Race\. Raphanus sativus radicula rotunda. 



Radis. The Round or Turnip Radish. 

 The root in this plant is swelled into a round or oval tuber 

 prolonged at the extremity till it becomes a filiform radicle • 



IZJ'^^r '^^^^""r^' i" ^'^'''^"'^'^ '^'^ name or Radis, in 

 Italy Radtce; and in England, Turnip Radish; it has three 



7^" '^""'' "" '^'^ '^"^^■'^' '^' '^'^ ^P"^"^' -"J the Z 



* Theophiast. Ilht. lib. 7. cap. 4. 



t A ^'ull account of all the varieties of S,)nng Radishes l.oth T„rn;„ 

 R^.hes a„. Long Radishes, has been given'by M.-. wS. C riS^" S 

 t:.^.Am.-i:-!'^'' Iransactions of the Horticultural Society, article 



Srru/id 



