328 BOTANY OF CROP PLANTS 



Leaves of flowering stem somewhat clasping; biennials; sepals erect. 

 Roots swollen and fleshy. 



Young leaves glaucous; a distinct short stem on upper part of root, B. 



campestris (rutabaga or Swede turnip). 

 Young leaves grass-green; no distinct short stem on upper part of root, B. 

 rapa (turnip). 

 Roots not fleshy. 



Young foliage covered with a few hairs, B. napus (rape). 

 Young foliage smooth, B.oleracea (cabbages, etc.). 



BR/^SSICA OLERACEA (Cabbages, etc.) 



Wild Cabbage. — This is the parent of the various forms 

 of cultivated cabbage. It grows wild along the coasts of 



Fig. 134. — Wild cabbage. (After Bailey.) 



England and Wales, Channel Island, and western and south- 

 ern Europe. It is a stout perennial or biennial from a tough 

 and woody root. The stem is branching and attains a 

 height of I to 2 feet (Fig. 134). The lower leaves are stalked, 

 lyrate or pinnatifid, entire, and broad, while the upper ones 

 are sessile and much smaller. There is no tendency to form 

 heads in the wild form. The flowers are in elongated 

 racemes and are rather large, about ^i to i inch in diameter, 

 and of a pale yellow color. The fruit is a smooth silique 

 often 3 or 4 inches long. 



