190 



NATURAL HISTORY OF PLANTS. 



Brassiea Napus {Turnip). 



inflorescence. In the Brussels Sprouts {Ckoux de BruoeeUes, fig. 227) 

 numerous lateral buds in the axils of the leaves form the storehouses 

 in the period of growth, and form little edible heads. In the Cauli- 

 flower {Choux-HeurSy fig. 233) and Broccoli the large mammillated 



edible head is formed by the transi- 

 tory accumulation of nutritive matter 

 in the whole of the inflorescence 

 which ends the plant after the first 

 period of vegetation. The reservoir 

 is far lower down in Kohl Rabi 2 

 {C/tou-rave), where it is in the swollen 

 base of the stem, on which may even 

 be seen the insertion of the leaves 

 (figs. 224, 226), and yet lower in the 

 Turnips 3 {Choux-naveh, fig. 234), 

 where it is in the enormous tap-root 

 without any leaf-scars, used for food 

 by both man and beast. These 

 variations are all found in the section 

 which we shall call Eubrassica* the 

 fruit of which is a sessile siliqua, 

 whose valves bear a prominent mid- 

 rib, and flexuous lateral ribs. It 

 comprises dicarpic herbs, natives of 

 Europe and Asia. 5 



In Erucastrum* by some made a 



distinct genus, the siliqua is narrow, 



with but one rib on each valve. This 



also includes European and Asiatic herbs, 7 annual and perennial, with 



nearly the habit of Sisymbrium. 



In B. incana, 8 which has also been made into the distinct genus 



Fig. 234. 



Young plant (i). 



1 B. oleracea lotrytis DC, Prodr., i. 284, F. 



- B. oleracea gongyloides L. (?). — Spach, loc. 

 cit„ 366. — B. oleracea caulo-rapa DC. 

 I'} B. Napus L., Spec, 931.— DC, Syst., ii. 

 592 ; Prodr., i. 214, n. 4. — Geen. & Gopb., Fl. 

 de Fr., i. 76 



4 Sect. Brassiea DC, Syst. Yeg., ii. 582. 



5 Reichb., Ic. FL Germ., ii. t. 91-98. 



6 Peesl., Fl. Sic, i. 92. 



7 Reichb., op. cit., t. 89. — Walp., Sep., 

 187 ; v. 49. 



8 Sinapis incana L., Amoen., iv. 281 ; Spec, 

 934. — Erncastrum incanum Koch, Syn., ed. 1, 

 56. — Myagrum hispanieum L., Spec, 893.— 

 Hirschfeldia adpressa Mcekch. 



