CKUCIFERiE. 61 



XII. BRASSICA. BRASSICA. 



Annuals or perennials, either glabrous or with stiff or rough hairs, 

 the lower leaves usually deeply pinnate, or lyrate, the upper ones some- 

 times entire, the flowers yellow. Pod linear, cylindrical or nearly so, more 

 or less beaked at the top beyond the end of the valves, the beak con- 

 sisting either of the conical style alone, or including a portion of the 

 pod itself, with one or more seeds in it. Seeds globular, ovoid, or some- 

 what flattened, the cotyledons folded longitudinally over the radicle. 



A numerous genus, spread over Europe and northern and central 

 Asia, comprising the Brassica and Sinapis of Linnaeus, and divided by 

 other botanists into from three to six or even more genera, variously 

 defined, according to the peculiar views entertained by each, but all 

 aptly united into one by Boissier. It is distinguished from Sisymbrium 

 and Wintercress essentially by the folded cotyledons, and in most 

 cases by the beak of the pod. Even in the two first species, and in the 

 blade _Z?., where the beak is not so distinct, the persistent style is more 

 conical at the base than in the Wintercress, and very much longer than 

 in the Sisymbrium. 



Upper stem-leaves entire, sessile or clasping the stem. 



All the leaves glabrous and glaucous, the upper ones not 



auricled 4. Cabbage B. 



Radical leaves more or less hispid, the upper ones auricled 



at the base 5. Field B. 



All the leaves pinnately cut or stalked. 

 Six or fewer seeds in each cell of the pod. 



Pods slender and short, closely pressed against the axis 

 of the raceme. Beak small. 

 Pods ending in a slender style, slightly conical at the 



base 8. Black B. 



Pods ending in a distinct beak, thickened at the base 9. Hoary B. 

 Pods more or less spreading in a loose raceme. Beak large. 



Pod very hispid, rather shorter than the long flat beak 6. Mustard B. 

 Pod glabrous, or rough, rather longer than the conical 



beak 7. Charlock B. 



Ten, twelve, or more seeds in each cell of the pod. 

 Pod 1| to 2 inches, the beak distinct, with 1 or 2 seeds 3. Isle of Man B. 

 Pod slender, not 1^ inch long. The beak very short, 

 without seeds. 

 Branched and leafy perennial, a foot high or more . 1. Wall B. 

 Low annual, the leaves mostly radical 2. Sand B. 



1. Wall Brassica. Brassica tenuifolia, Boiss. (Eig. 74.) 

 (Sisymbrium, Eng. Bot. t. 525. Diplotaxis, Brit. El. Rocket.) 

 A loosely branched or bushy perennial, 1 to 2 feet high, perfectly 



