Brassica elongata

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Brassica elongata
Brassica elongata integrifolia 21328716.jpg
Brassica elongata subsp. integrifolia
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Brassicales
Family: Brassicaceae
Genus: Brassica
Species:
B. elongata
Binomial name
Brassica elongata

Brassica elongata, the elongated mustard [1] or long-stalked rape, [2] is a species of the mustard plant that is native to parts of Central Europe, Eastern Europe, the Balkan Peninsula, the Caucasus, Morocco and parts of Central Asia. Through plant invasion this species has become naturalized in many other parts of the world. Some of these naturalized regions include South Africa, North Western Europe, Australia and North America. [3] Given the wide range of climate and ecological conditions of these regions, B. elongata has been able to disrupt the ecosystems of their native plant habitats and has been label as an invasive species in many of its naturalized zones. In North America, this species is often found as a roadside weed in the southwestern states, particularly in the state of Nevada. [4] Studies allude that the Cruciferae might have migrated through the Bering land bridge from what is now Central Asia. [4] Commonly known as the long-stalked rape or as langtraubiger Kohl in German, this species is a close cousin to Brassica napus (rapeseed) and a secondary genetic relative to B. oleracea (kale). [3] As a close genetic species of the rapeseed, the long-stalked rape has one of the highest counts of accumulated polyunsaturated linoleic and linolenic acid. [5] [6] Both compounds are heavily used to manufacture vegetable oils. Brassica elongata has the propagative potential of turning into a horticultural product from what is currently a noxious weed. [3] [5]

Contents

Distribution

Brassica elongata is a native species that spreads from Eastern European countries starting from Austria to the Asian-Temperate that extends to Afghanistan and Iran. There are also areas in Northern Africa near Morocco with similar arid climates that have B. elongata as a native species. [3] As an invasive species, B. elongata has spread north up to Norway, southwest into parts of France and Italy, and has even been introduced in large areas of Southern Africa, Southern Australia, and Southwest America. [7] B. elongata was first collected in the United States at Linnton, Oregon by Wilhelm Suksdorf in 1911. The collection occurred near a surrounding ballast where ships were often unloaded but its specific subspecies of B. elongata was unknown. The next recording had occurred in Bingen, Washington in 1915. Thereafter in 1968, with no apparent evidence of the species spreading, Brassica elongata subsp. integrifolia was discovered by John Thomas Howell, an American botanist, while driving on the roadsides of US Highway 50 in the east-central regions of Nevada. [8] Since then B. elongata has become an identifiable common sight of the regional flora of the desert regions of Eureka and White Pine counties. [9]

Habitat and ecology

Brassica elongata is a perennial plant. Its habitat is often located in semi-arid to arid climates in regions located in Europe, central Asia, North America, Africa, and Australia. The plant undergoes its flowering during June through July in the Northern Hemisphere. It can grow on disturbed ground and on roads with open juniper and sagebrush desert areas. [9] B. elongata can develop an abundant amount of seeds that germinate over a range of alternating temperatures. However, germination rates drop considerably at very cold seedbed temperatures. [8]

Description

Distribution of Brassica elongata in the United States Distribution of B.elongata in the United States.png
Distribution of Brassica elongata in the United States

There are five subspecies of B. elongata: elongata, imdrhasiana, integrifolia, pinnatifida and subscaposa. The stems extend out from the base and are branched basally. The basal leaves are obovate to elliptic (10–35 millimetres or 3⁄8–1+3⁄8 inches) and its margins are sub-entire to dentate. The cauline leaves have oblong or lanceolate leaves that are up to 10 cm (4 in) in length. The inflorescence is raceme. [3] [9]

Flowers and fruit

Petals on B. elongata are bright yellow to orange yellow with its apex rounded and mostly obovate. It reaches about 7–10 mm (9⁄32–13⁄32 in) and its sepals to about 3–4 mm (1⁄8–5⁄32 in)

in length. The filaments are 3.5–4.5 mm (1⁄8–3⁄16 in) in length with 1–1.5-millimetre (3⁄64–1⁄16 in) anthers. The fruits have a valvular section with 5–11 seeds per locule. The fruits are spreading and ascending from the base and its seeds may differ in shades of grey to brown. The seeds are 1–1.6 mm (5⁄128–1⁄16 in) in diameter and its seed coat is dehiscent and becomes mucilaginous when wet. [9]

Potential commercial value

Research has shown when measuring fatty acid content of some of the commonly known Brassicacae, such as Brassica napus, B. nigra and B. rapa, B. elongata has shown to have one of the higher counts of fatty acids in concentration of mass per leaf. These fatty acids, α-linolenic acid (C18:3n-3) and linoleic acid (C18:2n-6), are nutritional omega-3 oils and compounds that the human body is unable to synthesize. Research has shown that increased deficiencies in these polyunsaturated fatty acids lead to a higher rate of diseases for human populations in industrialized countries. While the USDA has labeled B. elongata as a noxious weed, cultivating this plant in its natural harsh and arid climate in order to harvest its organic compounds has a promising upside in a low risk scenario. [3] [5] [6]

Related Research Articles

Essential fatty acids, or EFAs, are fatty acids that humans and other animals must ingest because the body requires them for good health, but cannot synthesize them.

<i>Brassica</i> Genus of flowering plants in the cabbage family Brassicaceae

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, or mustard plants. Crops from this genus are sometimes called cole crops—derived from the Latin caulis, denoting the stem or stalk of a plant.

α-Linolenic acid Chemical compound

α-Linolenic acid, also known as alpha-Linolenic acid (ALA), is an n−3, or omega-3, essential fatty acid. ALA is found in many seeds and oils, including flaxseed, walnuts, chia, hemp, and many common vegetable oils.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rapeseed</span> Oilseed, Brassica, food, feed, industry

Rapeseed, also known as oilseed rape, is a bright-yellow flowering member of the family Brassicaceae, cultivated mainly for its oil-rich seed, which naturally contains appreciable amounts of erucic acid. The term "canola" denotes a group of rapeseed cultivars that were bred to have very low levels of erucic acid and which are especially prized for use as human and animal food. Rapeseed is the third-largest source of vegetable oil and the second-largest source of protein meal in the world.

Erucic acid is a monounsaturated omega-9 fatty acid, denoted 22:1ω9. It has the chemical formula :CH3(CH2)7CH=CH(CH2)11CO2H. It is prevalent in wallflower seed and other plants in the family Brassicaceae, with a reported content of 20 to 54% in high erucic acid rapeseed oil and 42% in mustard oil. Erucic acid is also known as cis-13-docosenoic acid and the trans isomer is known as brassidic acid.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mustard oil</span> Oil derived from mustard plants

Mustard oil can mean either the pressed oil used for cooking, or a pungent essential oil also known as volatile oil of mustard. The essential oil results from grinding mustard seed, mixing the grounds with water, and isolating the resulting volatile oil by distillation. It can also be produced by dry distillation of the seed. Pressed mustard oil is used as cooking oil in some cultures, but sale is restricted in some countries due to high levels of erucic acid. Varieties of mustard seed also exist that are low in erucic acid.

gamma-Linolenic acid or GLA is an n−6, or omega-6, fatty acid found primarily in seed oils. When acting on GLA, arachidonate 5-lipoxygenase produces no leukotrienes and the conversion by the enzyme of arachidonic acid to leukotrienes is inhibited.

Linoleic acid (LA) is an organic compound with the formula HOOC(CH
2)
7CH=CHCH
2CH=CH(CH
2)
4CH
3. Both alkene groups are cis. It is a fatty acid sometimes denoted 18:2 (n-6) or 18:2 cis-9,12. A linoleate is a salt or ester of this acid.

<i>Oenothera biennis</i> Species of flowering plant

Oenothera biennis, the common evening-primrose, is a species of flowering plant in the family Onagraceae, native to eastern and central North America, from Newfoundland west to Alberta, southeast to Florida, and southwest to Texas, and widely naturalized elsewhere in temperate and subtropical regions. Evening primrose oil is produced from the plant.

<i>Guizotia abyssinica</i> Species of flowering plant

Guizotia abyssinica is an erect, stout, branched annual herb, grown for its edible oil and seed. Its cultivation originated in the Eritrean and Ethiopian highlands, and has spread to other parts of Ethiopia. Common names include noog/nug ; niger, nyger, or nyjer seed ; ramtil or ramtilla; inga seed; and blackseed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sunflower oil</span> Oil pressed from the seed of Helianthus annuus

Sunflower oil is the non-volatile oil pressed from the seeds of the sunflower. Sunflower oil is commonly used in food as a frying oil, and in cosmetic formulations as an emollient.

Fatty acid desaturases are a family of enzymes that convert saturated fatty acids into unsaturated fatty acids and polyunsaturated fatty acids. For the common fatty acids of the C18 variety, desaturases convert stearic acid into oleic acid. Other desaturases convert oleic acid into linolenic acid, which is the precursor to alpha-linolenic acid, gamma-linolenic acid, and eicosatrienoic acid.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Perilla oil</span> Vegetable oil derived from perilla seeds

Perilla oil is an edible vegetable oil derived from perilla seeds. Having a distinct nutty aroma and taste, the oil pressed from the toasted perilla seeds is used as a flavor enhancer, condiment, and cooking oil in Korean cuisine. The oil pressed from untoasted perilla seeds is used for non-culinary purposes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Macadamia oil</span> Non-volatile oil expressed from the nut meat of the macadamia

Macadamia oil, also known as macadamia nut oil, is a non-volatile oil extracted from the nuts of the macadamia tree, indigenous to Australia. This oil is used in culinary applications as a frying or salad oil, and in cosmetics for its emollient properties and as a fragrance fixative.

<i>Rhamphospermum arvense</i> Species of plant

Rhamphospermum arvense, the charlock mustard, field mustard, wild mustard, or just charlock, is an annual or winter annual plant in the family Brassicaceae. It is found in the fields of North Africa, Asia, Europe, and some other areas where it has been transported and naturalized. Pieris rapae, the small white butterfly, and Pieris napi, the green veined white butterfly, are significant consumers of charlock during their larval stages.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Punicic acid</span> Chemical compound

Punicic acid is a polyunsaturated fatty acid, 18:3 cis-9, trans-11, cis-13. It is named for the pomegranate,, and is obtained from pomegranate seed oil. It has also been found in the seed oils of snake gourd.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pitaya</span> Fruit of several cactus species

A pitaya or pitahaya is the fruit of several different cactus species indigenous to the region of southern Mexico and along the Pacific coasts of Guatemala, Costa Rica, and El Salvador. Pitaya is cultivated in East Asia, South Asia, Southeast Asia, the United States, the Caribbean, Australia, Brazil, and throughout tropical and subtropical regions of the world.

Only two essential fatty acids are known to be essential for humans: alpha-linolenic acid and linoleic acid. The biological effects of the ω-3 and ω-6 fatty acids are mediated by their mutual interactions. Closely related, these fatty acids act as competing substrates for the same enzymes. The biological effects of the ω-3 and ω-6 fatty acids are largely mediated by essential fatty acid interactions. The proportion of omega-3 to omega-6 fatty acids in a diet may have metabolic consequences. Unlike omega-3 fatty acids and omega-6 fatty acids, omega-9 fatty acids are not classed as essential fatty acids because they can be created by the human body from monounsaturated and saturated fatty acids, and are therefore not essential in the diet.

Alternaria black spot of canola or grey leaf spot is an ascomycete fungal disease caused by a group of pathogens including: Alternaria brassicae, A. alternata and A. raphani. This pathogen is characterized by dark, sunken lesions of various size on all parts of the plant, including the leaves, stem, and pods. Its primary economic host is canola. In its early stages it only affects the plants slightly by reducing photosynthesis, however as the plant matures it can cause damage to the seeds and more, reducing oil yield as well.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rapeseed oil</span> Vegetable oil

Rapeseed oil is one of the oldest known vegetable oils. There are both edible and industrial forms produced from rapeseed, the seed of several cultivars of the plant family Brassicaceae. Historically, it was restricted as a food oil due to its content of erucic acid, which in laboratory studies was shown to be damaging to the cardiac muscle of laboratory animals in high quantities and which imparts a bitter taste, and glucosinolates, which made it less nutritious in animal feed. Rapeseed oil from standard cultivars can contain up to 54% erucic acid.

References

  1. ↑ USDA, NRCS (n.d.). "Brassica elongata". The PLANTS Database (plants.usda.gov). Greensboro, North Carolina: National Plant Data Team. Retrieved 10 January 2016.
  2. ↑ BSBI List 2007 (xls). Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland. Archived from the original (xls) on 2015-06-26. Retrieved 2014-10-17.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Brassica elongata". Germplasm Resources Information Network . Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture . Retrieved 12 January 2018.
  4. 1 2 Rollins, Reed C. (Apr–Jun 1982). "A new species of the Asiatic genus Stroganowia (Cruciderae) from North America and its biogeographic implications". Systematic Botany. 7 (2): 214–220. doi:10.2307/2418329. JSTOR   2418329.
  5. 1 2 3 Velasco, Leonardo; Fernando D. Goffman; Heiko C. Becker (1198). "Variability for the fatty acid composition of the seed oil in a germplasm collection of the genus Brassica". Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution. 45 (4): 371–382. doi:10.1023/A:1008628624867. S2CID   22978359.
  6. 1 2 Ayaz, Faik A.; Glew R. H.; Millsion M.; Huang H. S.; Chuang L. T.; Sanz C.; Hayirhoglu-Ayaz S. (2006). "Nutrient contents of kale (Brassica oleracae L. var. acephala DC.)". Food Chemistry. 96 (4): 572–579. doi:10.1016/j.foodchem.2005.03.011.
  7. ↑ "USDA Plants Database".
  8. 1 2 Young, James A.; Clements C. D.; Wilson R. (Nov 2003). "Brassica elongata ssp. integrifolia seed germination". Journal of Range Management. 56 (6): 623–626. doi:10.2307/4003937. hdl: 10150/643486 . JSTOR   4003937.
  9. 1 2 3 4 Flora of North America Editorial Committee (2010). Flora of North America: Magniliophyta: Salicaceae to Brassicaceae. Oxford University Press. pp. 420–421.
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