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Daikon Radish🌿
Raphanus sativus
ダイコン
One of the most consumed vegetables in Japan. The white, large root (enlarged hypocotyl) is eaten in simmered dishes, pickles, and grated as a condiment, making it indispensable in Japanese cuisine. Contains the pungent compound isothiocyanate and is rich in digestive enzymes. Numerous cultivars exist, including Miura and Aokubi types.
Identification Points
- ✓Large white to pale green taproot develops underground
- ✓Leaves are pinnately deeply lobed, forming a rosette spreading on the ground
- ✓White to pale purple cruciform flowers
- ✓Siliques (elongated pods) are jointed and difficult to segment when mature
Habitat
Fields and farmland
Season
Autumn sowing: August–October, harvest: November–February (main season)
Morphological TraitsAI-estimated, needs verification
Leaf arrangement
Alternate
Leaf type
Simple
Venation
Pinnate
Leaf dissection
Dissected
Leaf shape
Ovate
Growth form
Herb
Petal count
4 petals
Petal fusion
Free
Habitat
Cultivated
Phylogenetic Positionアブラナ科 →
Phylogenetic Position
Angiosperms > Eudicots > Core eudicots > Brassicales > Brassicaceae
Divergence Era
Late Cretaceous to Paleogene
Evolution Notes
Brassicaceae evolved glucosinolates (mustard oil glycosides) as defensive compounds. Daikon descended from the radish (Raphanus) originating in the Mediterranean to Central Asia and was enlarged through selection in East Asia.
View on evolution timeline →Sources & References
AI-generated, needs verification