Brassica oleracea L.

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/170110/6717557

Conservation

DD - data deficient

Distribution

Biogeografic region: Amazonia, Andean. Elevation range: 0–2620 m a.s.l. Cultivated in Colombia. Colombian departments: Amazonas, Antioquia, Bogotá DC, Cundinamarca, Putumayo, Risaralda.

Habit

Herb.

Conservation

IUCN Red List Assessment (2021): DD.

Ecology

Habitat according IUCN Habitats Classification: forest and woodland, savanna, shrubland, native grassland, artificial - terrestrial.

Kew Species Profiles

General Description

Brassica oleracea has been cultivated for at least 2,000 years, possibly much longer, and a wide variety of forms have been developed. Although considerably different in general appearance, cabbage, kale, kohlrabi, cauliflower, broccoli and Brussels sprouts are all cultivars of Brassica oleracea.

Brassica oleracea is a member of the cabbage family (Brassicaceae), which also includes turnip (Brassica rapa) and radish (Raphanus sativus). The common name cabbage derives from the French caboche, meaning head.

Species Profile

Geography and distribution

Brassica oleracea is native to the Mediterranean region and southwestern Europe, as far north as southern England. It is found growing wild on seaside cliffs.

Description

Overview: Biennial or perennial herb, to 250 cm tall when in flower. Smooth, more or less woody, stem.

Leaves: Few (in comparison to cultivars), fleshy, hairless, lobed, blue-green leaves. Lower leaves stalked and fairly large (up to 45 cm long), with irregular wavy margins.

Flowers: With four pale yellow petals and six stamens (two outer ones shorter than four inner ones). Borne on flowering stems of 20-40 individual flowers.

Fruits: A short-beaked siliqua (fruit divided into two cells by a thin partition) up to 10 cm long, round in cross-section.

Uses Food

Brassica vegetables are consumed in large quantities across the globe. They are an important source of dietary fibre, vitamins C and E, a range of B vitamins and carotenes. Their distinctive bitter flavour is due to the presence of glucosinolates, which can be toxic in certain circumstances but are also credited with potential anti-cancer activity.

Fodder

Marrow-stem kale, 1000-headed kale and kohlrabi are examples of cultivars grown for livestock feed and forage; kohlrabi is also eaten by humans as a raw and cooked vegetable.

Ornamental

Cabbages with white, pink, green and purple foliage, sometimes with fringed margins, are cultivated as ornamentals. They are considered to be attractive in garden borders and are sometimes used in fresh flower arrangements. Ornamental kales with white or pink markings on the leaves are available.

Cabbage cultivar groups

There are considered to be eight main cultivar groups:

Acephala Group (kale, borecole, collards)

Also known as winter greens, these non-heading cultivars are probably the most similar in appearance to wild cabbage. Cultivars with coloured leaves are grown as ornamentals. Jersey longjacks have tall, woody stems that are used for walking-sticks. Other cultivars are grown for livestock feed and forage.

Alboglabra Group (Chinese kale, Chinese broccoli, gai laan, kai lan)

Leaves of these cultivars are used in Chinese, Vietnamese and Thai cuisine.

Botrytis Group - (broccoli, cauliflower, broccoflower, calabrese)

Bearing edible inflorescences in compact heads, these are popular vegetables served raw or boiled and are often accompanied with a white sauce. They are also used in pickles. Forms of cauliflower suitable for hot and humid climates have been developed in India over the past 200 years.

Capitata Group (cabbage, savoy cabbage, red cabbage)

Developed in Germany by the 12th century, these have a large, edible, terminal bud. Savoy cabbage has puckered leaves and is shredded for use in coleslaw. Red cabbage contains the pigment anthocyanin and is used for pickling. Sauerkraut is fermented shredded cabbage leaves that is popular in Germany and some other European countries.

Gemmifera Group (sprouts, Brussels sprouts)

Developed in Belgium in the 18th century, this form has dense, compact, axillary buds (like mini-cabbages) packed tightly on a single, upright stem.

Gongylodes Group (kohlrabi, knol-kohl)

Bearing a white, green or purple, turnip-like, edible swollen stem (5-12 cm wide).These first appeared in Europe in the 15th century and are consumed as a boiled vegetable or used as livestock-feed.

Italica Group (purple sprouting, sprouting broccoli)

Bearing edible inflorescences not compacted into a single head, these cultivars became popular in northern Europe in the 18th century. They are alleged to reduce the incidence of bladder and colorectal cancers.

Tronchuda Group (Portuguese cabbage, seakale cabbage)

Low-growing annuals with spreading leaves, fleshy petioles and broad midribs.

Millennium Seed Bank: Seed storage

The Millennium Seed Bank Partnership aims to save plant life worldwide, focusing on plants under threat and those of most use in the future. Seeds are dried, packaged and stored at a sub-zero temperature in our seed bank vault.

More than 20 collections of Brassica oleracea seeds are held in Kew's Millennium Seed Bank based at Wakehurst in West Sussex.

This species at Kew

Brassica oleracea 'Kamome Red' (ornamental kale)

Brassica oleracea can usually be seen growing in the Plant Family Beds and Student Vegetable Plots at Kew.

Dried and alcohol-preserved specimens of Brassica oleracea are held in Kew's Herbarium where they are available to researchers by appointment. The details of one of these can be seen online in Kew's Herbarium Catalogue.

Specimens of Brassica oleracea seeds and seed oil, Jersey cabbage walking sticks and wool dyed with it are held in Kew's Economic Botany Collection, where they are available to researchers by appointment.

Distribution

France, Italy, Spain, United Kingdom

Ecology

Coastal; on seaside cliffs.

Conservation

Not considered to be threatened; widespread in cultivation.

Hazards

Contains glucosinolates, which can cause goitre (enlargement of the thyroid gland) if consumed in large quantities (although also thought to provide protection against cancer).

Cruciferae, Bengt Jonsell (University of Stockholm). Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1982

Morphology General Habit

Annual (in warmer regions) to bi- or perennial herb.

Morphology Stem

Stem erect, often more than 1 m. high, with ascending branches, basally often woody, glabrous.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves fleshy, glabrous, glaucous; basal and lower cauline leaves petioled, lyrate-pinnatipartite with prominent whitish nerves; terminal lobe very large, up to 50 cm. long and 30 cm. broad, rounded at apex, ± cordate at base, entire, undulate, crispy or dentate; lateral lobes 1–5 pairs, small, entire or crenulate; median cauline leaves oblong to obovate, auriculate, obtuse, sinuate; upper leaves slightly clasping to auriculate, linear to oblong, entire.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Racemes paniculate soon elongating, with large flowers on up to 8 mm. long pedicels, which in fruit become up to 20 mm. long and spreading.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Sepals oblong, erect and connivent, ± 10 mm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Petals bright yellow or white, clawed, 15–20 mm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens Anthers

Anthers 2.5–4 mm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary Ovules

Ovules 30–40.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Siliquae linear, ± torulose, sometimes on a gynophore, 50–100 mm. long, ± 5 mm. broad; beak conical to filiform, 5–15 mm. long; valves with a thick midnerve.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds dark brown, globose, 1.5–2 mm. in diameter, with a distinct fine reticulum.

Habitat

Cultivated places; 800–2000 m.

Distribution

K4 K7 T3 worldwide as a cultivated plant and occasional weed

Bernal, R., Gradstein, S.R. & Celis, M. (eds.). 2015. Catálogo de plantas y líquenes de Colombia. Instituto de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá. http://catalogoplantasdecolombia.unal.edu.co

Distribution

Cultivada en Colombia; Alt. 0 - 2620 m.; Amazonia, Andes.

Morphology General Habit

Hierba

Bernal, R., G. Galeano, A. Rodríguez, H. Sarmiento y M. Gutiérrez. 2017. Nombres Comunes de las Plantas de Colombia. http://www.biovirtual.unal.edu.co/nombrescomunes/

Vernacular

cáliz, col rizada

Use

Food, fodder, ornamental.