Brassicaceae: taxon details and analytics

Domain
Kingdom
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Order
Brassicales
Family
Brassicaceae
Genus
Species
Scientific Name
Brassicaceae

Summary description from Wikipedia:

Brassicaceae

Brassicaceae () or (the older but equally valid) Cruciferae () is a medium-sized and economically important family of flowering plants commonly known as the mustards, the crucifers, or the cabbage family. Most are herbaceous plants, while some are shrubs. The leaves are simple (although are sometimes deeply incised), lack stipules, and appear alternately on stems or in rosettes. The inflorescences are terminal and lack bracts. The flowers have four free sepals, four free alternating petals, two shorter free stamens and four longer free stamens. The fruit has seeds in rows, divided by a thin wall (or septum). As of 2023, the family was divided into two subfamilies, Brassicoideae and Aethionemoideae, and as of September 2025, it contained over 350 accepted genera.

Pieris rapae and other butterflies of the family Pieridae are some of the best-known pests of Brassicaceae species planted as commercial crops. Trichoplusia ni (cabbage looper) moth is also becoming increasingly problematic for crucifers due to its resistance to commonly used pest control methods. Some rarer Pieris butterflies, such as P. virginiensis, depend upon native mustards for their survival in their native habitats. Some non-native mustards such as Alliaria petiolata (garlic mustard), an extremely invasive species in the United States, can be toxic to their larvae.

The family contains the cruciferous vegetables, including species such as Brassica oleracea (cultivated as cabbage, kale, cauliflower, broccoli and collards), Brassica rapa (turnip, Chinese cabbage, etc.), Brassica napus (rapeseed, etc.), Raphanus sativus (common radish), Armoracia rusticana (horseradish), the cut-flower Matthiola (stock) and the model organism Arabidopsis thaliana (thale cress).

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Brassicaceae in languages:

Bokmål
korsblomstfamilien
Bulgarian
Кръстоцветни
Catalan
Brassicàcies
Chinese
十字花科
Czech
brukvovité
Danish
Korsblomst-familien
Dutch
Kruisbloemenfamilie
English
mustard family
Estonian
ristõielised
Finnish
Ristikukkaiskasvit
French
brassicacées
French
crucifères
German
Kreuzblütler
German
Kreuzblütengewächse
Hebrew
מצליבים
Hungarian
keresztesvirágúak
Italian
Brassicacee
Italian
Crucifere
Japanese
アブラナ科
Korean
십자화과
Lithuanian
Bastutiniai
Modern Greek
Κραμβοειδή
Polish
Kapustowate
Portuguese
Crucíferas
Portuguese
Brassicáceas
Russian
Капустные
Russian
Крестоцветные
Slovak
kapustovité
Swedish
Korsblommiga växter
Swedish
korsblommiga
Thai
วงศ์ ผักกาด
Turkish
Turpgiller
Ukrainian
Капустяні

Images from inaturalist.org observations:

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Brassicaceae
©Octávio Mateus, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Brassicaceae
©Octávio Mateus, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Brassicaceae
©Octávio Mateus, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Brassicaceae
©Octávio Mateus, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Brassicaceae
©Jason Cooper, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Brassicaceae
©Dawid Adamczyk, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Brassicaceae
©Dawid Adamczyk, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Brassicaceae
©nitsuga74, some rights reserved (CC-BY)
Brassicaceae
©nitsuga74, some rights reserved (CC-BY)
Brassicaceae
©Stepan, some rights reserved (CC0)
Brassicaceae
©Alena Zvonareva, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Brassicaceae
©T. Abe Lloyd, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Brassicaceae
©Cristian Meling, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC-SA)
Brassicaceae
©Kyle Eaton, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Brassicaceae
©Kyle Eaton, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Brassicaceae
©Kyle Eaton, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Brassicaceae
©Kyle Eaton, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Brassicaceae
©Kyle Eaton, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Brassicaceae
©Kyle Eaton, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Brassicaceae
©sunscreen5, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Brassicaceae
©kaitlynhunter1, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Brassicaceae
©kaitlynhunter1, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Brassicaceae
©erindavidson18, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Brassicaceae
©erindavidson18, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Brassicaceae
©mamiosos, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Brassicaceae
©nomppi, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Brassicaceae
©Barbara L. Wilson, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Brassicaceae
©Barbara L. Wilson, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Brassicaceae
©Barbara L. Wilson, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Brassicaceae
©Barbara L. Wilson, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Brassicaceae
©Дашуля, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Brassicaceae
©bbaker1, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Brassicaceae
©bbaker1, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Brassicaceae
©rsealy, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Brassicaceae
©rsealy, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Brassicaceae
©rsealy, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Brassicaceae
©Maggie, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Brassicaceae
©Maggie, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Brassicaceae
©epic2112, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Brassicaceae
©Sue, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Brassicaceae
©Sue, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Brassicaceae
©Sue, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Brassicaceae
©Sue, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Brassicaceae
©Elio Giacone, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Brassicaceae
©Elio Giacone, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Brassicaceae
©BIISC, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Brassicaceae
©konstantin_m, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Brassicaceae
©Kyle Eaton, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Brassicaceae
©Kyle Eaton, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Brassicaceae
©Kyle Eaton, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Brassicaceae
©Kyle Eaton, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Brassicaceae
©Kyle Eaton, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Brassicaceae
©Kyle Eaton, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Brassicaceae
©Kyle Eaton, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Brassicaceae
©Degtyarev Nikolai Ivanovich, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Brassicaceae
©konstantin_m, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Brassicaceae
©konstantin_m, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Brassicaceae
©curt_nimz, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Brassicaceae
©Emily Scherer, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Brassicaceae
©Emily Scherer, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Brassicaceae
©Emily Scherer, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Brassicaceae
©Emily Scherer, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Brassicaceae
©raul_sonico, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Brassicaceae
©raul_sonico, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Brassicaceae
©curt_nimz, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Brassicaceae
©curt_nimz, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Brassicaceae
©silviagu, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Brassicaceae
©Braden J. Judson, some rights reserved (CC0)
Brassicaceae
©Braden J. Judson, some rights reserved (CC0)
Brassicaceae
©Braden J. Judson, some rights reserved (CC0)
Brassicaceae
©silviagu, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Brassicaceae
©Monserrat Ramírez, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Brassicaceae
©Karen R Cline, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Brassicaceae
©Karen R Cline, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Brassicaceae
©Andrew Hebert, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Brassicaceae
©Cait Smith, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Brassicaceae
©Cait Smith, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Brassicaceae
©Monserrat Ramírez, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Brassicaceae
©Monserrat Ramírez, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Brassicaceae
©S Brian Treelife, some rights reserved (CC0)
Brassicaceae
©botanybraid, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Brassicaceae
©botanybraid, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Brassicaceae
©botanybraid, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Brassicaceae
©Michael Andresek, some rights reserved (CC-BY)
Brassicaceae
©briandonovan, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Brassicaceae
©Rafael Enrique Baez Segui, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Brassicaceae
©Michael Andresek, some rights reserved (CC-BY)
Brassicaceae
©pbulman, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Brassicaceae
©bernardjulien06000, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Brassicaceae
©pbulman, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Brassicaceae
©pbulman, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Brassicaceae
©pbulman, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Brassicaceae
©pbulman, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Brassicaceae
©lucie_cerna, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Brassicaceae
©Luis Mata EntSocVic, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Brassicaceae
©Luis Mata EntSocVic, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Brassicaceae
©Luis Mata EntSocVic, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Brassicaceae
©Terri, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Brassicaceae
©James K. Douch, some rights reserved (CC-BY-SA)
Brassicaceae
©Sebastián Lescano, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Brassicaceae
©Sebastián Lescano, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Brassicaceae
©catherinelusk, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Brassicaceae
©Floro Ortiz Contreras, some rights reserved (CC-BY)
Brassicaceae
©Floro Ortiz Contreras, some rights reserved (CC-BY)
Brassicaceae
©Floro Ortiz Contreras, some rights reserved (CC-BY)
Brassicaceae
©James K. Douch, some rights reserved (CC-BY-SA)
Brassicaceae
©Gonzalo Diaz, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Brassicaceae
©Julia Carr, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Brassicaceae
©Julia Carr, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Brassicaceae
©Eva Ullström, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Brassicaceae
©Eva Ullström, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Brassicaceae
©Felicia Seichter, some rights reserved (CC-BY)
Brassicaceae
©Chloe Novak, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Brassicaceae
©Chloe Novak, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Brassicaceae
©Felicia Seichter, some rights reserved (CC-BY)
Brassicaceae
©basiliov, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Brassicaceae
©basiliov, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Brassicaceae
©Oisín, some rights reserved (CC-BY)
Brassicaceae
©Oisín, some rights reserved (CC-BY)
Brassicaceae
©Grzegorz Grzejszczak, some rights reserved (CC-BY-SA)
Brassicaceae
©Grzegorz Grzejszczak, some rights reserved (CC-BY-SA)
Brassicaceae
©Георгий Виноградов (Georgy Vinogradov), some rights reserved (CC-BY)
Brassicaceae
©Julie Reid, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC-ND)
Brassicaceae
©Julie Reid, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC-ND)
Brassicaceae
©Сергей, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Brassicaceae
©shirleyng_, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Brassicaceae
©Curren Frasch, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Brassicaceae
©Curren Frasch, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Brassicaceae
©gnutter06, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Brassicaceae
©gnutter06, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Brassicaceae
©gnutter06, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Brassicaceae
©gnutter06, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Brassicaceae
©Curren Frasch, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Brassicaceae
©Curren Frasch, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Brassicaceae
©Curren Frasch, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Brassicaceae
©Curren Frasch, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Brassicaceae
©rsealy, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Brassicaceae
©Alicia Mastretta Yanes, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Brassicaceae
©Mauricio Ruvalcaba, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Brassicaceae
©rsealy, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Brassicaceae
©rsealy, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Brassicaceae
©isadoraisadorable, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Brassicaceae
©mengqiwang, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Brassicaceae
©Matías, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Brassicaceae
©Matías, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Brassicaceae
©Matías, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Brassicaceae
©jspiegel, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Brassicaceae
©Magazova Lubov, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Brassicaceae
©Magazova Lubov, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Brassicaceae
©Magazova Lubov, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Brassicaceae
©isadoraisadorable, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Brassicaceae
©smathichong, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Brassicaceae
©woody832, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Brassicaceae
©woody832, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Brassicaceae
©smathichong, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Brassicaceae
©smathichong, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Brassicaceae
©smathichong, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Brassicaceae
©smathichong, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Brassicaceae
©Marleen Schouten, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
Brassicaceae
©michaeljaguar, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)

Parent Taxon

Child Taxa