Brassicaceae FAMILY

Brassica juncea napiformis

Edibility

4/5

Medicinal

2/5

Safety & Hazards

An oil obtained from the seeds can have a high content of erucic acid. There have been some health concerns over the consumption of high levels of erucic acid n humans, though this is still controversial. At present (2012), several countries only allow cultivars with low erucic acid levels to be used for food.

Botanical Description

Root mustard is an annual plant growing about 75cm tall. A form of Brassica juncea that has been selected in the Orient for its edible root[ 206 Title Oriental Vegetables Publication Author Larkcom J. Publisher John Murray Year 1991 ISBN 0-7195-4781-4 Description Well written and very informative. ]. The plant is often cultivated, especially in the Orient, for its edible root and leaves.

Habitat & Origin

Origintemperate; tropical

Native RangeA cultivar of garden origin.

HabitatNot known in the wild.