Acephala group | |
---|---|
Species | Brassica oleracea |
Cultivar group | Acephala Group |
Origin | unknown |
Cultivar group members | Many; see text. |
The acephala group refers to any type of Brassica which grows without the central 'head' typical of many varieties of cabbage. These are included within the species Brassica oleracea , such as kale (Brassica oleracea var. acephala). [1] The name literally means "without a head" in contrast to those varieties known as capitata or "with a head". This group includes a number of species, both wild and cultivated, many of which are grown for their edible leaves and flowers.
It has been suggested that portions of this section be split out into another articletitled Brassica oleracea#Cultivars . (Discuss) (March 2023) |
Different sources break down the Brassica genus into different grouping as shown below:
Mabberley (q.v.) has these groups: Napobrassica Group / Pabularia Group / Acephala Group / Alboglabra Group / Botrytis Group / Capitata Group / Gemmifera Group / Gongylodes Group / Italica Group / Tronchuda Group / Chinensis Group / Japonica Group / Pekinensis Group / Perviridis Group / Rapifera Group
Royal Botanic Gardens Kew [2] has eight cultivar groups: Acephala Group (kale, borecole, collards) / Alboglabra Group (Chinese kale, Chinese broccoli, gai lan, kai lan) / Botrytis Group (broccoli, cauliflower, broccoflower, calabrese) / Capitata Group (cabbage, Savoy cabbage, red cabbage) / Gemmifera Group (sprouts, Brussels sprouts) / Gongylodes Group (kohlrabi, knol-kohl) / Italica Group (purple sprouting, sprouting broccoli) / Tronchuda Group (Portuguese cabbage, seakale cabbage)
The Acephala group of cultivars or variety for the species Brassica oleracea includes: [3]
Acephala means "no head" [12] as the plants have leaves with no central head; the opposite arrangement of white cabbage, or Savoy cabbage. Each cultivar has a different genome owing to mutation, [13] evolution, ecological niche, [14] and intentional plant-breeding by humans. Mabberley (1997, p. 120) has the Acephala group in three sub-groups: kale, borecole, and collards. [15]
Kohlrabi, also called German turnip or turnip cabbage, is a biennial vegetable, a low, stout cultivar of wild cabbage. It is a cultivar of the same species as cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, kale, Brussels sprouts, collard greens, Savoy cabbage, and gai lan.
Cabbage, comprising several cultivars of Brassica oleracea, is a leafy green, red (purple), or white biennial plant grown as an annual vegetable crop for its dense-leaved heads. It is descended from the wild cabbage, and belongs to the "cole crops" or brassicas, meaning it is closely related to broccoli and cauliflower ; Brussels sprouts ; and Savoy cabbage.
Broccoli is an edible green plant in the cabbage family whose large flowering head, stalk and small associated leaves are eaten as a vegetable. Broccoli is classified in the Italica cultivar group of the species Brassica oleracea. Broccoli has large flower heads, or florets, usually dark green, arranged in a tree-like structure branching out from a thick stalk, which is usually light green. The mass of flower heads is surrounded by leaves. Broccoli resembles cauliflower, which is a different but closely related cultivar group of the same Brassica species.
Brassica is a genus of plants in the cabbage and mustard family (Brassicaceae). The members of the genus are informally known as cruciferous vegetables, cabbages, mustard plants, or simply brassicas. Crops from this genus are sometimes called cole crops—derived from the Latin caulis, denoting the stem or stalk of a plant.
Cauliflower is one of several vegetables cultivated from the species Brassica oleracea in the genus Brassica, which is in the Brassicaceae family.
Broccoflower is either of two edible plants of the species Brassica oleracea with light green heads. The edible portion is the immature flower head (inflorescence) of the plant.
The Brussels sprout is a member of the Gemmifera cultivar group of cabbages, grown for its edible buds.
Collard is a group of loose-leafed cultivars of Brassica oleracea, the same species as many common vegetables including cabbage and broccoli. Part of the Acephala (kale) cultivar group, it is also classified as the variety B. oleracea var. viridis.
Kale, also called leaf cabbage, belongs to a group of cabbage cultivars primarily grown for their edible leaves; it has also been used as an ornamental plant.
Chinese cabbage is either of two cultivar groups of leaf vegetables often used in Chinese cuisine: the Pekinensis Group and the Chinensis Group.
Gai lan, kai-lan, Chinese broccoli, or Chinese kale is a leafy vegetable with thick, flat, glossy blue-green leaves with thick stems, and florets similar to broccoli. A Brassica oleracea cultivar, gai lan is in the group alboglabra. When gone to flower, its white blossoms resemble that of its cousin Matthiola incana or hoary stock. The flavor is very similar to that of broccoli, but noticeably stronger and slightly more bitter.
Brassica oleracea is a plant species from the family Brassicaceae that includes many common cultivars used as vegetables, such as cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, kale, Brussels sprouts, collard greens, Savoy cabbage, kohlrabi, and gai lan. It was most likely first brought into cultivation in the Eastern Mediterranean region. The uncultivated form of the species, wild cabbage, originates from feral populations.
Clubroot is a common disease of cabbages, broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, radishes, turnips, stocks, wallflowers and other plants of the family Brassicaceae (Cruciferae). It is caused by Plasmodiophora brassicae, which was once considered a slime mold but is now put in the group Phytomyxea. It is the first phytomyxean for which the genome has been sequenced. It has as many as thirteen races. Gall formation or distortion takes place on latent roots and gives the shape of a club or spindle. In the cabbage such attacks on the roots cause undeveloped heads or a failure to head at all, followed often by decline in vigor or by death. It is an important disease, affecting an estimated 10% of the total cultured area worldwide.
Spring greens are a cultivar of Brassica oleracea in the cultivar acephala group, similar to kale, in which the central leaves do not form a head or form only a very loose one. It is considered to be closer to wild cabbage than most other domesticated forms, and is grown primarily in northern Europe, where its tolerance of cold winters is valued for an early spring supply of edible leaves. The cultivar group acephala also includes curly kale and collard greens, which are extremely similar genetically.
Cruciferous vegetables are vegetables of the family Brassicaceae with many genera, species, and cultivars being raised for food production such as cauliflower, cabbage, kale, garden cress, bok choy, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, mustard plant and similar green leaf vegetables. The family takes its alternative name from the shape of their flowers, whose four petals resemble a cross.
Acephala, Latin for "without a head", may refer to:
Romanesco broccoli is in fact a cultivar of the cauliflower, not broccoli. It is one of two types of broccoflower. It is an edible flower bud of the species Brassica oleracea, which also includes regular broccoli and cauliflower. It is chartreuse in color and has a striking form that naturally approximates a fractal. Romanesco has a nutty flavor and a firmer texture than white cauliflower or broccoli when cooked.
Sukuma wiki is an East African dish made with collard greens, known as sukuma, cooked with onions and spices. It is often served and eaten with ugali.
Lacinato kale, also known as Tuscan kale, Italian kale, dinosaur kale, kale, flat back kale, palm tree kale, black Tuscan palm, or, in Italian and often in English, cavolo nero, is a variety of kale from the Acephala group of cultivars Brassica oleracea grown for its edible leaves. Lacinato has a long tradition in Italian cuisine, especially that of Tuscany, where it has been grown for centuries, and it is one of the traditional ingredients of minestrone and ribollita.
The Jersey cabbage is a variety of cabbage native to the Channel Islands that grows to a great height and was formerly commonly used there as livestock fodder and for making walking sticks. It is also known as Jersey kale or cow cabbage, and by a variety of local names including giant cabbage, long jacks, tree cabbage and the French chour and chou à vacque.