BRASSICA. Linn. A genus of cruciferous plants, containing several very important alimen tary species.
Brassies campestris, Linn., Sarson, HIND. This has been supposed to be the source of the Swedish turnip ; it furnishes the colza oil of Europe. It is grown as a cold-weather crop in the plains of India, and as a summer crop at Ambala. It is cultivated in Afghanistan, and in Tibet up to 10,000 feet. The seed is being largely exported from Kurachee, but in N.W. India a bland oil is largely expressed from it.
Brassica eruca, Linn., garden rocket.
Eruca sativa, . LAM. I Kola Sarson, . . HIND.
This is largely cultivated in the arid parts of the Panjab for its bitter oil from its seeds, which is used for lamps.
Brassica erucastrum, Linn., of France, Italy, Switzerland, etc., is largely cultivated in the Patijab and Oudh for its seed and oil. The cost of the (Teorah) oil is from 3 to 10 seers per rupee. It is used for burning.
Brassies juncea, Linn., Rai, Turia, and Khardil, HIND., is grown largely in the Panjab, also in the Himalaya, and up to 10,000 feet in Tibet ; also in Afghanistan. Its oil, somewhat acrid, is burned, and occasionally used in cooking. Its seeds are an ingredient in pickles.
Brassica. napus, Linn., rape, wild cabbage ; colza, cola seed, or sursul of Gujerat. Much cultivated in Europe. Used as salad similar to mustard ; the leaves are eaten when the plant is in seed, but it is of no great value as a vegetable. This plant is cultivated for the sake of its seeds, from which oil is extracted by grinding and pressure.
Brassica oleracca, cabbage.
Timm ban mung la, BUM. I Karam, Kopi, Gobi, HIND.
Amongst Europeans, both in Europe and India, a highly-esteemed vegetable ; its varieties are— s. Acephala, D. C.
ramosa, cavalier cabbage. vulgaris, common green colewort.
quercifolia, oak-leaved cabbage.
sabellica, Scotch kale. b. Bullata, D. C.
major, Savoy cabbage. gemmifera, Brussels sprouts.
c. Capitata, D. C.
depressa, drumhead cabbage.
sphamica, great round Scotch cabbage.
obovata, Penton cabbage. elliptica, early York cabbage. cornea, sugar-loaf cabbage. rubra, rod cabbage.
d. Caulo•rapa, D. a, kohl-rabi. c. Botrytis, D. C.
caulillora, cauliflower, Phool-kopi. asparagoides, broccoli.
The cabbage plant is supposed to be indigenous in the Kashmir valley at 5000 to 5500 feet. Brassica rape, Linn., the turnip, rape.
Luft, ARAB. I Gonglu PERS Shalgarn, . BEND , PERS. Gohheu, . . . SIND.
Mung-la-do-waing, BURN.
Turnips are grown in Europe, India, the Ten asserim Provinces, and in parts of the N.W. Hima laya up to 8000 feet, and in Ladakh up to 13,000.
Brassica Sinensis, Smith, Yun-tai, Yu-ts'ai, Ciox., is largely cultivated in the Yangtze valley for the oil which is expressed from the seeds. It serves also for a cabbage.—Smith ; Von Mueller.