Brassicaceae (/ˌbræsɪˈkeɪsii/) or Cruciferae (/kruːˈsɪfəri/)[2] is a medium-sized and economically important family of flowering plants commonly known as the mustards, the crucifers, or the cabbage family. Most are herbaceous plants, some shrubs, with simple, although sometimes deeply incised, alternatingly set leaves without stipules or in leaf rosettes, with terminal inflorescences without bracts, containing flowers with four free sepals, four free alternating petals, two short and four longer free stamens, and a fruit with seeds in rows, divided by a thin wall (or septum).
The family contains 372 genera and 4,060 accepted species.[3] The largest genera are Draba (440 species), Erysimum (261 species), Lepidium (234 species), Cardamine (233 species), and Alyssum (207 species).
The family contains the cruciferous vegetables, including species such as Brassica oleracea (e.g. broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, kale, collards), Brassica rapa (turnip, Chinese cabbage, etc.), Brassica napus (rapeseed, etc.), Raphanus sativus (common radish), Armoracia rusticana (horseradish), but also a cut-flower Matthiola (stock) and the model organism Arabidopsis thaliana (thale cress).
Pieris rapae and other butterflies of the family Pieridae are some of the best-known pests of Brassicaceae species planted as commercial crops. Trichoplusia ni (cabbage looper) moth is also becoming increasingly problematic for crucifers due to its resistance to commonly used pest control methods.[4] Some rarer Pieris butterflies, such as Pieris virginiensis, depend upon native mustards for their survival, in their native habitats. Some non-native mustards, such as garlic mustard, Alliaria petiolata, an extremely invasive species in the United States, can be toxic to their larvae.
2. Family Brassicaceae
• There are about 350 genera and 2500 species
in this family.
• The family is characterized by presence of
cruciform corolla.
• Distribution:
• The members of this family are cosmopolitan
in distribution but most are common in north
temperate region.
3. • Vegetative characters
• Habit: Mostly annual, biennial or perennial
herbs. Some are small shrubs.
• Root: usually tap root and branched, may be
modified into fusiform (Raphanus sativus) or
napiform root (Brassica rapa) with stored
food.
• Stem: Herbaceous or condensed
• Leaf: simple, alternate, exstipulate; usually
radical or cauline.
• Floral characters
4. • Inflorescence: Generally racemose, may be
raceme, corymb or corymbose-raceme.
• Bracts and bracteoles absent.
• Flower: Ebracteate; pedicellate; regular;
actinomorphic; hermaphrodite; complete;
cruciform; hypogynous.
• Calyx: 4; polysepalous; arranged in two
whorles.
• Corolla: 4; polypetalous; cruciform
• Androecium: usually 6 stamens, arranged in
two whorls, outer two short and the inner
four long (tetradynamous).
5.
6.
7.
8. • Senebiera, two stamens are present.
• Gynoecium: Bicarpellary; syncarpous; ovary
superior; unilocular but becomes bilocular
due to formation of fasle septum; parietal
placentation; style short with two lobed
stigmas.
• Fruit: either siliqua; lomentum in Raphanus
sativus.
• Floral formula:
• Floral diagram:
9.
10. • Economic importance
• Vegetables: The roots, leaves and fruits and
inflorescence of many plants of this family are
used as vegetable. Example: radish, turnip,
cabbage. cauliflower etc.
• Extraction of oil: Vegetable oils are extracted
from many members of this family like
mustard Eruca etc.
• Ornamentals:
• Some plants are grown in gardens for their
beautiful flowers viz. Cheiranthus cheiri (wall
flower), Iberis amara (candytuft) Lobularia,
Matthiola (stock), Hesperis (rocket), Alyssum,
Lunaria (honesty) etc.
11. • Medicines:
• The leaves and tender shoots of Lepidium
sativum are used in liver complaints, asthma,
cough and bleeding piles.
• Rorippa montana is an appetizer and a
stimulant.
• The seeds of Cheiranthus cheiri are used in
bronchitis and fever. The flowers are used in
paralysis and impotency.
• Lobularia is used for gonorrhoea.
• Iberis amara is used in rheumatism and gout.
12. • Important members of family Brassicaceae
1. Brassica compestris
2. Brassica olaracea var. botrytis
3. Brassica olaracea var. capitata
4. Capsella bursa pastoris
5. Iberis amara
6. Raphanus sativus
