66 



THE CRUCIFBR FAMILY. 



Black Brassica. 

 (SinapiS) Eng. 



Fig. 81. 



England, and abundant on 

 in Scotland, and probably 

 cultivation. FL summer. 



Brassica nigra, Boiss. (Fig. 81.) 

 Bot. t. 9C9. Black Mustard.) 



Less hairy than the two last species, 

 and sometimes entirely glabrous, espe- 

 cially in the upper part, but the lower 

 leaves and stem are generally slightly 

 hispid. Stem 2 feet high or more. Leaves 

 mostly deeply divided, with one large 

 terminal ovate or oblong lobe and a few 

 small lateral ones, the upper leaves often 

 small and entire. Flowers rather smaller 

 than in the Charlock . Pods on short 

 pedicels, closely pressed against the axis 

 of the long slender racemes, glabrous, 

 seldom more than half an inch long, with 

 a slender style, slightly conical at the base, 

 the valves marked with a strong midrib. 

 On banks, under hedges, in waste and 

 cultivated places, in central and southern 

 Europe and central Asia, and much cul- 

 tivated for its seed. Scattered over 

 some points of the south coast, more rare 

 introduced onlv into Britain from or with 



9. Hoary Brassica. Brassica adpressa, Boiss. (Eig. 82.) 

 (Frucastrum incanum, Eng. Bot. Suppl. t. 2848. Sinapis, Brit. El.) 



Very like the black ~B. in habit and 

 foliage, but more frequently biennial, 

 the stem stiffer and harder at the base, 

 the leaves less divided, and more or less 

 hoary with short rough hairs. Pods 

 short and closely pressed against the 

 axis, as in the black B. 9 but they ter- 

 minate in a short thick beak, with a 

 seed in the base, instead of a slender 

 style. Seeds rather ovoid, not globular. 

 On sandy or arid places near the sea, 

 in southern Europe, extending up the 

 west coast of the Channel Islands. FL 



