Brassica rapa: bird rape, bird’s-rape, bird’s-rape mustard, bok choi, bok choy, braze, caisim, caisin, celery cabbage, Chinese cabbage, field mustard, mustard, neep crops, pak-choi, petsai, petsai, rape, rapeseed, turnip, turnip rape, white turnip, wild rape, wild turnip Maori name: pohata

Brassica rapa is widely cultivated as an oil crop and vegetable, and cultivars, especially in Asia, have been recognized as species, subspecies, and varieties. The most important crops include: rapeseed or canola, turnip (subsp. rapa), Chinese mustard or pakchoi [subsp. chinensis (Linnaeus) Hanelt], and Chinese cabbage or petsai [subsp. pekinensis(Loureiro) Hanelt]. The species is also a widespread naturalized weed [subsp. sylvestris (Linnaeus) Janchen] throughout temperate North America and elsewhere. It is self-incompatible. Hybridization in the field in Europe has been described between B. napus and B. rapa

Common Names:

in English: bird rape, bird’s-rape, bird’s-rape mustard, bok choi, bok choy, braze, caisim, caisin, celery cabbage, Chinese cabbage, field mustard, mustard, neep crops, pak-choi, petsai, petsai, rape, rapeseed, turnip, turnip rape, white turnip, wild rape, wild turnip Maori name: pohata

in China: song cai, huang ya bai cai, man jing, wu jing

in India: an-tam, antam, aunkar, bangasarson, baralai, bhutaghana, bimbata, dain, dainlai, duradharsha, grahagna, grnjanakam, grunjanakam, jadiya, jariya, kadamba, kadambada, kadambaka, kadugu, kala-sarshapa, kalamohare, kalasarshapa, kalerai, kalisarson, kappusasoe, karupakatuka, karuppukkadugu, katukasveha, katusneha, katusveha, khardale-asvad, khardaleasvad, khetiya, lahi, lahota, lai, nalla avalu, nallaavalu, niuma, nuskar, rajakshavaka, rajika, rakshitaphala, rakta-sarshapa, raktasarshapa, roghan sarson, salgam, sarishapa, sarsapa, sarshapa, sarsive, sarson, sarsoon, shalgam, shalgom, sherasa, shulgam, siddhaartha, siddharthah, sidhaprayojana, sidhartha, sipandane-siyah, sipandane siyah, sorshey, tantubha, tantuka, til gogul, tukhm shalijam, tukhm shaljam, tuverika, ugragandha

in South Laos: bat huy (bat = weeds or edible herbs) (people Nya Hön)

in Tibetan: nyung-ma, yun ba, yums kar, yuns-dkar

in Congo: loundif

in South Africa: beesraap, raap, sweissoldeer, wilde raap

Floral Description:

According to Flora of China:

Herbs annual or biennial, 30-120(-190) cm tall, glabrous or sparsely pubescent basally, rarely glaucous, sometimes with fleshy taproots. Stems erect, simple or branched above. Basal and lowermost cauline leaves petiolate, not rosulate or obscurely to strongly rosulate and forming a compact, oblong head; petiole (1-)2-10(-17) cm, slender or thickened and fleshy, sometimes strongly winged; leaf blade ovate, oblong, or lanceolate in outline, (5-)10-40(-60) × 3-10(-20) cm, margin entire, repand, dentate, or sinuate, sometimes pinnatifid or pinnatisect and with a large terminal lobe and smaller, 1-6, oblong or ovate lateral lobes on each side of midvein. Upper cauline leaves sessile, ovate, oblong, or lanceolate, 2-8(-12) × 0.8-3 cm, base amplexicaul, deeply cordate, or auriculate, margin entire or repand. Fruiting pedicels, straight, ascending or divaricate, (0.5-)1-2.5(-3) cm. Sepals oblong, (3-)4-6.5(-8) × 1.5-2 mm, ascending. Petals bright yellow, rarely pale or whitish yellow, 7-10(-13) × (2.5-)3-6(-7) mm, obovate, apex rounded. Filaments 4-6(-7) mm; anthers oblong, 1.5-2 mm. Fruit linear, (2-)3-8(-11) cm × 2-4(-5) mm, terete, sessile, divaricate or ascending; valvular segment (1.3-)2-5(-7.5) cm, 8-15-seeded per locule, valves with a prominent midvein; terminal segment conical, (0.3-)1-2.5(-3.5) cm, seedless or rarely 1-seeded; style obsolete. Seeds dark or reddish brown, globose, 1-1.8 mm in diam., minutely reticulate.

According to Flora of North America

Annuals or biennials; (roots fleshy or slender); (green to slightly glaucous), glabrous or sparsely hairy. Stemsunbranched or branched distally, 3-10 dm. Basal leaves: petiole (winged), (1-)2-10(-17) cm; blade ± lyrate-pinnatifid to pinnate to pinnatisect, (5-)10-40(-60) cm × 30-100(-200) mm, (margins sinuate-dentate, sometimes ciliate), lobes 2-4(-6) each side, (terminal lobe oblong-obovate, obtuse, large, blade surfaces usually setose). Cauline leaves (middle and distal) sessile; base auriculate to amplexicaul, (margins subentire). Racemes not paniculately branched, (with open flowers overtopping or equal to buds). Fruiting pedicels ascending to spreading, (5-)10-25(-30) mm. Flowers:sepals (3-)4-6.5(-8) × 1.5-2 mm; petals deep yellow to yellow, obovate, 6-11(-13) × (2.5-)3-6(-7) mm, claw 3-7 mm, apex rounded; filaments 4-6(-7) mm; anthers 1.5-2 mm. Fruits ascending to somewhat spreading, torulose, terete, (2-)3-8(-11) cm × 2-4(-5) mm; valvular segment with 8-15 seeds per locule, (1.3-)2-5(-7.5) cm, terminal segment seedless, 8-22 mm. Seeds black, brown, or reddish, 1.1-2 mm diam.; seed coat very finely reticulate-lightly alveolate, not mucilaginous when wetted

Chemical constitutes

Caulilexin C, Indole-3-acetonitrile, Glucobrassicin, Neoglucobrassicin, 4-Hydroxyglucobrassicin, 4-Methoxyglucobrassicin, Glucobrassicanapin, Glucoiberverin, Gluconapoleiferin, Progoitrin, Methoxybrassinin, Brassicasterol, Campesterol, Kaempferol 3-O-sophoroside 7-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside:Kaempferol 3-sophoroside-7-glucoside, Isorhamnetin 3,7-di-O-beta-glucopyranoside, Arvelexin, Glucoiberin, Glucoerucin, 5-Methylsulfinylpentyl glucosinolate, 2-Phenylethylglucosinolate, Glucoraphanin, Gluconapin, Epiprogoitrin, Rutalexin, S-(-)-Spirobrassinin, Brassinin, Brassicanal A, Brassilexin, Methyl salicylate, Salicylaldehyde, Cyclobrassinin, Rapalexin A, Rapalexin B, 1-Methoxybrassitin, 4 Methoxybrassinin, Brassicanal B

Activities and Uses:

These plants can accumulate toxic quantities of SMCO (S-methyl-L-cysteine sulfoxide), which has poisoned several types of livestock after they have ingested sufficient quantities. Stimulant, diuretic, emetic, rubefacient, antidote, used externally for bronchitis and rheumatic pains. Crushed seeds infusion for liver pain; powdered seeds a tea for colds, fever and influenza; a decoction of the leaves or stems used in the treatment of cancer; fresh juice from bulb of Allium cepa and oil from Brassica campestris given to drink as an emetic in snakebite; seeds of Raphanus sativus boiled with Brassica campestris oil massaged on penis to cure impotency. Insecticide. Ritual, magico-religious beliefs, emotional, spiritual, seeds to avoid evil spirits; seeds used in birthday celebrations. Veterinary medicine, given to cows after delivery for the removal of placenta; leaf juice applied over wounds.