BRASSICA RAPA


Common names: field mustard, birdsrape mustard, turnip
Description annual herb, up 2.6 feet tall
Flowers: Bright yellow, in branched clusters. Four petals, 1 cm wide with 6 stamens.
Leaves: Alternate, bristly and with a waxy coating (glaucous). Lower leaves are stalked, while upper leaves lack stalks. Upper leaves are smaller than lower and are lance shaped.
Reproduction: A narrow pod, 3-5 cm long and roundish at the cross section. Seeds 1.5-2 mm long.
Flowering: Late May to early October
Habitat and ecology: Introduced from Eurasia. Non-native, good pioneer plant.
Brassica is the Latin word for cabbage. Rapa means turnip