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Cabbage/Cauliflower/Broccoli

Brassica oleracea

Summary 3

Brassica oleracea is the species of plant that includes many common foods as cultivars, including cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, kale, Brussels sprouts, savoy, and Chinese kale. In its uncultivated form it is known as wild cabbage. It is native to coastal southern and western Europe. Its tolerance of salt and lime and its intolerance of competition from other plants typically restrict its natural occurrence to limestone sea cliffs, like the chalk cliffs on both sides of the...

Brief 4

Flowering class: Dicot Habit: Herb Distribution notes: Exotic

Comments 5

Wild populations of var. oleracea are known only from the coastal cliffs of W Europe. Of the 15 varieties and 16 forms recognized by Helm (Kulturpflanze 11: 92-210. 1963), seven varieties are cultivated in China, the most commonly grown of which are vars. botrytis, capitata, gongylodes, and italica. The other varieties are less commonly grown.

Cyclicity 6

Flowering and fruiting: Throughout the year

Description 7

Herbs biennial or perennial, rarely annual, (0.3-)0.6-1.5(-3) m tall, glabrous, glaucous. Stems erect or decumbent, branched at or above middle, sometimes fleshy at base. Basal and lowermost cauline leaves long petiolate, sometimes strongly overlapping and forming a head; petiole to 30 cm; leaf blade ovate, oblong, or lanceolate in outline, to 40 × 15 cm, margin entire, repand, or dentate, sometimes pinnatifid or pinnatisect and with a large terminal lobe and smaller, 1-13, oblong or ovate lateral lobes on each side of midvein. Upper cauline leaves sessile or subsessile in some cultivated forms, oblanceolate, ovate, or oblong, to 10 × 4 cm, base amplexicaul, auriculate, or rarely cuneate, margin entire, repand, or rarely dentate. Racemes sometimes fleshy and condensed into a head. Fruiting pedicels usually straight, ascending or divaricate, (0.8-)1.4-2.5(-4) cm. Sepals oblong, 0.8-1.5 cm × 1.5-2.7 mm, erect. Petals creamy yellow or rarely white, (1.5-)1.8-2.5(-3) × (0.6-)0.8-1.2 cm, ovate or elliptic, apex rounded; claw 0.7-1.5 cm. Filaments 0.8-1.2 cm; anthers oblong, 2.5-4 mm. Fruit linear, (2.5-)4-8(-10) cm × (2.5-)3-4(-5) mm, terete, sessile or on a gynophore to 3 mm, divaricate or ascending; valvular segment (2-)3-7.5(-9) cm, 10-20-seeded per locule, valves with a prominent midvein; terminal segment conical, (3-)4-10 mm, seedless or 1(or 2)-seeded; style obsolete. Seeds dark brown or blackish, globose, 1.5-2.5 mm in diam., minutely reticulate. Fl. Mar-Jun, fr. Apr-Jul. 2n = 18*.

Diagnostic 8

"Glabrous herbs; stems to 10 cm high. Leaves alternate, usually shallowly lobed; upper ones usually enclosing inflorescence; rachises of young inflorescences and pedicels incrassate forming a dense yellowish white head with abortive flowers and buds. Sepals erect, oblong, obtuse, 8-12 x 2-3 mm. Petals obovate, clawed, 15-20 x 4-6 cm. Stamens erect. Fruits erect or on erecto-patent pedicels, 6-10 cm long including 1-2 cm long; seed often 1- beaked, reticulate."

Distribution 9

"

Global Distribution

Native of Europe

Indian distribution

State - Kerala, District/s: Idukki, Thrissur, Wayanad, Palakkad, Kozhikkode"

Economic significance 10

Brassica oleracea has many edible varieties including broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, collard greens, Brussel sprouts, kale, and kohlrabi.

General habitat 11

Cultivated

Habitat & distribution 12

Cultivated. Throughout China [native to W Europe; cultivated worldwide].

Habitat and ecology 13

Habitat and Ecology

B. oleracea ssp. oleracea usually grows on limestone and chalk cliffs (as well as sometimes below cliffs among shrubs), in scree, and sometimes on steep, grassy slopes (Snogerup et al. 1990). The same authors note that In Helgoland, it grows in open, rocky places. It is also known to occur in maritime grassland, inland quarries, waste places and on roadsides (Preston et al. 2002). B. oleracea ssp. bourgeaui grows on cliffs and rocks in shady places of the barrancos (Snogerup et al. 1990).

Systems
  • Terrestrial

Sources and Credits

  1. (c) Bastiaan, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-ND), http://www.flickr.com/photos/84474308@N00/3604001709
  2. (c) 106611639464075912591, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), uploaded by 106611639464075912591, https://picasaweb.google.com/106611639464075912591/KranjiFarms#6032902733400888610
  3. Adapted by Chandan Pandey from a work by (c) Wikipedia, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brassica_oleracea
  4. (c) India Biodiversity Portal, some rights reserved (CC BY), http://eol.org/data_objects/26041925
  5. (c) Missouri Botanical Garden, 4344 Shaw Boulevard, St. Louis, MO, 63110 USA, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://eol.org/data_objects/4964243
  6. (c) India Biodiversity Portal, some rights reserved (CC BY), http://eol.org/data_objects/26041927
  7. (c) Missouri Botanical Garden, 4344 Shaw Boulevard, St. Louis, MO, 63110 USA, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://eol.org/data_objects/4964242
  8. (c) India Biodiversity Portal, some rights reserved (CC BY), http://eol.org/data_objects/26332871
  9. (c) India Biodiversity Portal, some rights reserved (CC BY), http://eol.org/data_objects/26332876
  10. (c) Amy Chang, some rights reserved (CC BY), http://eol.org/data_objects/21618581
  11. (c) India Biodiversity Portal, some rights reserved (CC BY), http://eol.org/data_objects/26041929
  12. (c) Missouri Botanical Garden, 4344 Shaw Boulevard, St. Louis, MO, 63110 USA, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://eol.org/data_objects/4964244
  13. (c) International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://eol.org/data_objects/30963551

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