| Brassica rapa | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Class: | Eudicots |
| (unranked): | Rosids |
| Order: | Brassicales |
| Family: | Brassicaceae |
| Genus: | Brassica |
| Species: | B. rapa |
| Binomial name | |
| Brassica rapa L. |
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| Synonyms | |
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B. campestris L. |
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Brassica rapa L. (syn. Brassica campestris L.), commonly known as turnip, turnip rape, field mustard or turnip mustard[1] [2] is a plant widely cultivated as a leaf vegetable (see mizuna and napa cabbage), a root vegetable (see turnip), and an oilseed (but not normally rapeseed oil, from a different Brassica species).
In the 18th century the turnip and the oil seed producing variants were seen by Carolus Linnaeus as being different species who named them B. rapa and B. campestris. However, 20th century taxonomists found that the plants were cross fertile and thus belonged to the same species. Since the turnip had been named first by Linnaeus, the name Brassica rapa was adopted.[3]
The oilseeds known as canola are sometimes particular varieties of Brassica rapa (termed Polish Canola) but mostly the related species Brassica napus and Brassica juncea.[4]
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