Brassicaceae
(Mustard Family)
Habit
- mostly herbs with
mustard-oils (spicy or peppery)
Leaves
-
alternate,
simple or
pinnate,
estipulate
Inflorescence
- bractless
racemes
Flowers
-
perfect,
regular
Sepals
- 4,
distinct
Petals
- 4,
distinct;
alternate family name describes position of 4
lobes
cross-like
Stamens
- 6; 4 with long
filaments and 2 with short
filaments
Carpels
- 2,
connate;
ovary superior with
2 locules and
parietal placentation; the
locules divided by a membrane that persists (called a
replum)
Fruit
- a specialized
capsule called a
silicle or
silique depending on the shape:
silique-many times longer than broad (cylindrical)
silicle-2 times long as broad or less (often round or
heart-shaped)
Diversity
- 350 genera / 3,000 species
Distribution
- cosmopolitan with most species in the north temerate zone
Economics
- garden vegetables: from 1 species (Brassica oleracea)
we get cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, kohlrabi, kale,
brussels sprouts; mustard
made from seeds of Brassica nigra.
Radish, turnips are also in this family. Oils from seeds used in industry--rapeseed oil,
some mustard oils are strong mutagens--they stain chromosomes
(some used in flourescence microscopy); a derivative --
Flagyl (2-methyl-5- nitro-1H-Imidazole-1-ethanol)
used as treatment for
giardiasis
Note
- The Capparaceae (Caper) Family is very similar to the
mustard family but lacking the
replum
(Rocky-Mountain Bee Plant is common around Flag in disturbed
areas)
Images
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