Brassicaceae FAMILY

Brassica napus napus

Edibility

3/5

Medicinal

2/5

Safety & Hazards

The oil contained in the seed of some varieties of this species can be rich in erucic acid which is used in industry but is toxic if consumed. However, modern cultivars have been selected for culinary use which are almost free of erucic acid[ 418 Title Ecocrop Publication Author Website http://ecocrop.fao.org/ecocrop/srv/en/home Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description Basic information on a wide range of useful plants, plus details of environmental needs where available. ].

Botanical Description

Oilseed rape is an erect to spreading, annual to biennial plant; branched above, it can grow from 30 - 150cm tall[ 305 Title Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk Publication Author Website http://www.hear.org/pier/scientificnames/index.html Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description A very good website detailing weed species that have been introduced into the Pacific Islands. ]. Oilseed rape is one of the most cultivated plants in the world, widely grown from the temperate zone to the tropics for its oil-rich seeds which are used for food , biomass and industrial purposes. A widely cultivated plant, it sometimes escapes from cultivation and becomes established - it has been described as invasive in countries such as New Zealand and the Galapagos Islands of Ecuador[ 305 Title Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk Publication Author Website http://www.hear.org/pier/scientificnames/index.html Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description A very good website detailing weed species that have been introduced into the Pacific Islands. ].

Habitat & Origin

Origintemperate

Native RangeEurope - Mediterranean. Naturalized in Britain[ 17 Title Flora of the British Isles. Publication Author Clapham, Tutin and Warburg. Publisher Cambridge University Press Year 1962 ISBN - Description A very comprehensive flora, the standard reference book but it has no pictures. ].

HabitatBanks of streams, ditches and arable fields in Britain[ 17 Title Flora of the British Isles. Publication Author Clapham, Tutin and Warburg. Publisher Cambridge University Press Year 1962 ISBN - Description A very comprehensive flora, the standard reference book but it has no pictures. ].