Brassica rapa
common mustard, field mustard, wild turnip
Specimens
Photos

Distribution: Occurring chiefly west of the Cascades crest in Washington; Alaska to California, east to the Atlantic Coast.

Habitat: Roadsides, fields, ditches, wastelots and other disturbed open areas.

Flowers: April-Septemeber

Origin: Introduced from Europe

Growth Duration: Annual, Biennial

Conservation Status: Not of concern

Pollination: Bees, flies, butterflies

Description:
General:

Annual or biennial herb, glabrous or sparsely hairy with fleshy or slender roots.

Leaves:

Alternately arranged basal or cauline leaves. Basal leaves petiole 2-10 cm long, blade is lyrate-pinnatifid to pinnate to pinnatisect, 10-40 cm; margins sinuate with 2-4 lateral lobes. Cauline leaves sessile with the base auriculate to amplexicaul in shape.

Flowers:

Flowers in small racemes terminally from leaf axils, with fruiting pedicels ascending to spreading, 10-25 mm. Sepals 4, green to yellow; petals 4, pale to deep yellow, 1 cm long; 6 stamens, 2 shorter than the others; superior ovary with one 2-carpellate pistil.

Fruits:

Siliques up to 7cm long with s slender beaked tip.

Seeds:

Black, brown or reddish in color, 1-2 mm in diameter. Seed coat is very finely reticulate to lightly alveolate.

Accepted Name:
Brassica rapa L.
Publication: Sp. Pl. 2: 666. 1753.

Synonyms & Misapplications:
Brassica campestris L. [HC]
Brassica rapa L. ssp. campestris (L.) Clapham [Stace 1997]
Brassica rapa L. var. rapa [KZ99]
Additional Resources:

PNW Herbaria: Specimen records of Brassica rapa in the Consortium of Pacific Northwest Herbaria database.

WA Flora Checklist: Brassica rapa checklist entry.

OregonFlora: Brassica rapa information.

E-Flora BC: Brassica rapa atlas page.

CalPhotos: Brassica rapa photos.

USDA Plants: Brassica rapa information.

30 photographs:
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