MUSTAED FAMILY. 



* 47 



5. SINA'PIS, Tournef. Mustard. 



[A name of uncertain meaning ; derived from the Greek.] 



Calyx spreading. Silique sub-terete, with a short beak (which is either 

 empty or 1-seeded) ; valves nerved. Seeds in a single series, subglobose. 

 Annual or biennial herbs — nearly allied to Brassica. Lower leaves usu- 

 ally lyrate, incised or pinnatifid. Flowers in elongated racemes. 



1. S. ni'gra, L. Lower leaves lyrate and scabrous ; upper ones narrow 

 and entire ; siliques somewhat 4-angled, smooth, appressed to the stem. 

 Black Sinapis. Mustard. Black Mustard. 



Fr. Moutarde noire. Germ. Schwarzer Senf. Span. Mostazo. 



Root annual. Stem 3-6 feet high, much branched, smooth. Leaves petiolate. Ra- 

 cemes slender. Petals greenish yellow. Seeds numerous, small, dark brown. 



Gardens and waste places : introduced from Europe. Cultivated in some districts. Fl. 

 June-July. J^>. August. 



2. S. al'ba, X. Leaves all pinnatifid ; siliques hispid^, spreading, scarce- 

 ly as long as the sword-shaped 1-seeded beak. 



White Sinapis. White Mustard. 



Fr. Moutarde blanche. Germ. Weisser Senf. Span. Mostazo bianco. 



Root annual. Stem 2-5 feet high, rather stout, branched. Leaves petiolate, lyrately 

 pseudo-pinnate, the terminal segment large and 3-lobed. Petals rather large, yellow. 

 Seed,s few, larger than in the preceding species, pale brown. 



Gardens : cultivated. Native of Europe. H. June. Fr. August. 



Obs. These two species, known as Black and White Mustard, from 

 the color of the seeds, are naturalized in many places, having escaped 

 from gardens, where they are cultivated for their foliage, which is used 

 as " greens," but especially for their seeds. The condiment known as 

 Mustard or Flour of Mustard is prepared by grinding the seeds and 

 sifting out the husks, both the white and black being used indiscrimi- 

 nately ; the powder from the latter is the most pungent, but the other 

 affords the handsomest product. The skin of the White Mustard see*ds 

 contains a large amount of mucilaginous matter which is dissolved out 

 by boiling water. The seeds are sometimes administered whole as a 

 remedy in dyspepsia, &c. It is worthy of remark, that the pungency of 

 mustard is only developed when mixed with water : if the dry seeds are 

 expressed they yield a mild oil which has scarcely any taste of mustard. 

 A small quantity of sulphur is contained in Mustard, and in Turnips 

 also ; it is this which causes the blackening of a silver spoon when used 

 in serving either of these articles. * 



3. S. arven'sis, L. Pods smooth, knotty, about twice the length of the 

 conical 2-edged usually empty beak ; upper leaves merely toothed. 

 Field Sinapis. Wild Mustard. Charlock. 



AnniMl. Stem 2 -S feet high, diffusely branched and somewhat rough with short retrorse 

 hairs. Lower Zearc? large, 6 inches 'or more in length, lyrate pinnatifid. Flowers bright 

 yellow about the size of those of the common turnip. Pod about an inch long and pointed 

 with the stout beak. 



Fields New York and westward. Native of Europe. June -August. 



