brassica

/bras"i keuh/, n.

any plant belonging to the genus Brassica, of the mustard family, including many economically important vegetables, as cabbage, kale, broccoli, cauliflower, turnip, and mustard.

[1825-35; < NL, L: cabbage]

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Any plant of the large genus Brassica, in the mustard family, containing about 40 Old World species and including the cabbages, mustards, and rapes.

B. oleracea has many edible varieties, such as broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, kale, and kohlrabi. Also included in this genus are the turnip (B. rapa), the rutabaga (B. napobrassica), and the Chinese cabbages (B. pekinensis and B. chinensis).

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▪ plant

      Any plant of the large genus Brassica, in the mustard family (mustard), containing about 40 Old World species and including the cabbages (cabbage), mustards, and rapes (rape). B. oleracea has many edible varieties, such as broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, kale, and kohlrabi. Also included in this genus are the turnip (B. rapa), the rutabaga (B. napobrassica), and the Chinese cabbages (Chinese cabbage) (B. pekinensis and B. chinensis).

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