Mustard family
Brassicaceae

Image: Wikimedia Commons (See link for license)

Mustard family🌼

Brassicaceae

アブラナ科

Share on X

A family including cabbage, radish, rapeseed, and shepherd's purse. The most distinctive feature is the four petals arranged in a cross shape (hence the former name Cruciferae). Approximately 370 genera and 4,000 species worldwide.

Key Characteristics

  • 4 petals arranged in a cruciform pattern
  • 4 sepals
  • Usually 6 stamens (the 2 outer ones shorter; tetradynamous)
  • Fruit is a silique or silicle

Phylogenetic Position

Angiosperms > Eudicots > Core eudicots > Brassicales > Brassicaceae

Divergence Era

Late Cretaceous to Paleogene

Representative Genera

ナズナ属(Capsella)アブラナ属(Brassica)ダイコン属(Raphanus)イヌガラシ属(Rorippa)

Related Evolution Events

  • Evolution of cruciform petals (improved pollination efficiency)
  • Acquisition of glucosinolates (mustard oil glycosides) as herbivore defense
View on evolution timeline →

Plants in Mustard family on this site

🌿 View in taxonomy
📚アブラナ科の図鑑を探す