Eruca vesicaria
Eruca vesicaria, rocket | |
---|---|
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
(unranked): | Angiosperms |
(unranked): | Eudicots |
(unranked): | Rosids |
Order: | Brassicales |
Family: | Brassicaceae |
Genus: | Eruca |
Species: | E. vesicaria |
Binomial name | |
Eruca vesicaria (L.) Cav. | |
Synonyms[1] | |
|
Eruca vesicaria (syn. Brassica vesicaria L.) is a species of Eruca native to the western Mediterranean region, in Morocco, Algeria, Spain and Portugal.[2] It is closely related to Eruca sativa;[3] that species is included in E. vesicaria by some botanists either as a subspecies E. vesicaria subsp. sativa[4] or not distinguished at all;[5] E. vesicaria can be distinguished from E. sativa by its persistent sepals.[4][6]
It is an annual plant growing to 20–100 cm tall. The leaves are deeply pinnately lobed with four to ten small lateral lobes and a large terminal lobe. The flowers are 2–4 cm diameter, arranged in a corymb, with the typical Brassicaceae flower structure; the petals are creamy white with purple veins, and the stamens yellow; the sepals are persistent after the flower opens. The fruit is a siliqua (pod) 12–25 mm long with an apical beak, and containing several seeds.[4][6]
Cultivation and uses
It can be used as a leaf vegetable in the same manner as Eruca sativa.[6]
References
- ↑ The Plant List: A Working List of All Plant Species, retrieved 11 May 2016
- ↑ Med-Checklist: Eruca vesicaria
- ↑ Blamey, M. & Grey-Wilson, C. (1989). Flora of Britain and Northern Europe. ISBN 0-340-40170-2
- 1 2 3 Flora of NW Europe: Eruca vesicaria
- ↑ Flora Europaea: Eruca
- 1 2 3 Huxley, A., ed. (1992). New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. Macmillan ISBN 0-333-47494-5.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Eruca vesicaria. |