Diplotaxis.] viii. crucifeu.« (olivkhj. 67 



A genus of about 20 species, chiefly natives of Westeru Asia, Europe, and Northern 

 Africa. 



1. D. erucoideSy DC. Syat. Veg. ii. 631. An erect, more or less 

 branched herb of 1-2 ft. or more, glabrous or thinly hispitlulous below. 

 Lower leaves lyrate-pinnatifid or obovate-elliptical, toothed, and sessile or 

 sometimes narrowed into a slender petiole ; upper pinnatifid or nearly entire 

 and toothed, usually sessile and more or less amplexicaul. Racemes erect, 

 ebracteate. Flowers white or purplish, on rather slender pedicels. Siliquas 

 1 in. long or more, ascending, exceeding the pedicel; stigma (in fruit) 

 broadly emarginate. 



Nile Iiand. Abyssinia, various localities {Richard). 

 A species of Western Asia and the Mediterranean region. 



11. ERUCA, Tourn. ; Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. PI. i. 84. 



Sepals erect, nearly equal at the base. Siliquas oblong-linear, turgid, sub- 

 terete, with a compressed, seedless, sword-like beak ; valves convex with a 

 distinct median nerve; septum membranous; stigma obtuse, undivided. 

 Seeds numerous, biseriate or sub-biseriate, with free funicles ; embryo with 

 conduplicate cotyledons. — Erect branched annuals or biennials. Leaves 

 lyrate or pinnatifid. Racemes ebracteate. 



A small genus of Southern Europe, the Mediterranean, and "Western Asia. 



1. E. sativa. Lam. ; DC. Syst. Veg. ii. 637. An erect, branched, gla- 

 brous, or more or less hispid herb of 2 ft. or more. Leaves lyrate-pinnatifid, 

 or obovate to oblanceolate more or less pinnately toothed or sinuate ; upper 

 leaves petiolate, usually toothed. Flowers tolerably large, white or yellow. 

 Siliquas erect, on short pedicels; valves about 1 in. long or less, exceeding 

 or equalling the beak. — Brassica UrucUf Linn. Sp. PI. 932. 



Nile Land. Red Sea, Dr. i\^mwo .' Nile, near Assouan, Bromfield ! 'i^whxdi {Schweinf. 

 et Asch. E)mm.). 



The following genera allied to Brassica, Diplotaxis, and Eruca, probably occur in the 

 desert south of the tropic of Cancer : — 



Savignya, DC. Annuals with entire or pinnatifid leaves, rose or violet flowers and stipi- 

 tate, compressed, elliptical or orbicular silicules. 



Moricandia, DC. Shrubby glaucous herbs with entire amplexicaul or pinnatifid leaves, 

 rather large rose or purple fiowers and narrow linear siliquas. 



Henophyton, Coss. et Dur. {Oudneyal Brown in Denh. and Clapp. App. 220). A 

 shrubby much-branched herb with linear nearly entire leaves, purple flowers, narrow siliquas, 

 and broadly-winged seeds. 



Carrichtera, Adaus. Erect annuals with pinnati- or bipinnatisect leaves, terminal or 

 leaf-opposed racemes and short, turgid, few-seeded siliquas, with dilated leafy beaks as long 

 as their valves. 



12. SCHOTJWIA, DC. ; Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. PI. i. 89. 



Sepals suberect, lateral broader. Siliqua elliptical, emarginate or cordate 

 at the base, much compressed laterally with a narrow septum, margins 

 winged. Style persistent, elongate, subulate. Seeds indefinite. Cotyledons 



