What is "brassica oleracea"

Rape \Rape\, n. [L. rapa, rapum, akin to Gr. "ra`pys, "ra`fys, G. r["u]be.] (Bot.) A name given to a variety or to varieties of a plant of the turnip kind, grown for seeds and herbage. The seeds are used for the production of rape oil, and to a limited extent for the food of cage birds.

Note: These plants, with the edible turnip, have been variously named, but are all now believed to be derived from the Brassica campestris of Europe, which by some is not considered distinct from the wild stock ( Brassica oleracea) of the cabbage. See Cole.

Broom rape. (Bot.) See Broom rape, in the Vocabulary.

Rape cake, the refuse remaining after the oil has been expressed from the rape seed.

Rape root. Same as Rape.

Summer rape. (Bot.) See Colza.

Broccoli \Broc"co*li\, n. [It. broccoli, pl. of broccolo sprout, cabbage sprout, dim. of brocco splinter. See Broach, n.] (Bot.) A plant of the Cabbage species ( Brassica oleracea) of many varieties, resembling the cauliflower. The ``curd,'' or flowering head, is the part used for food.

Brassica \Bras"si*ca\, prop. n. [L., cabbage.] (Bot.) A genus of plants embracing several species and varieties differing much in appearance and qualities: such as the common cabbage ( Brassica oleracea), broccoli, cauliflowers, etc.; the wild turnip ( Brassica campestris); the common turnip ( Brassica rapa); the rape or coleseed ( Brassica napus), etc.

Cabbage \Cab"bage\ (k[a^]b"b[asl]j), n. [OE. cabage, fr. F. cabus headed (of cabbages), chou cabus headed cabbage, cabbage head; cf. It. capuccio a little head, cappuccio cowl, hood, cabbage, fr. capo head, L. caput, or fr. It. cappa cape. See Chief, Cape.] (Bot.)

1. An esculent vegetable of many varieties, derived from the wild Brassica oleracea of Europe. The common cabbage has a compact head of leaves. The cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, etc., are sometimes classed as cabbages.

2. The terminal bud of certain palm trees, used, like, cabbage, for food. See Cabbage tree, below.

3. The cabbage palmetto. See below. Cabbage aphis (Zo["o]l.), a green plant-louse ( Aphis brassic[ae]) which lives upon the leaves of the cabbage. Cabbage beetle (Zo["o]l.), a small, striped flea-beetle ( Phyllotreta vittata) which lives, in the larval state, on the roots, and when adult, on the leaves, of cabbage and other cruciferous plants. Cabbage fly (Zo["o]l.), a small two-winged fly ( Anthomyia brassic[ae]), which feeds, in the larval or maggot state, on the roots of the cabbage, often doing much damage to the crop. Cabbage head, the compact head formed by the leaves of a cabbage; -- contemptuously or humorously, and colloquially, a very stupid and silly person; a numskull. Cabbage palmetto, a species of palm tree ( Sabal Palmetto) found along the coast from North Carolina to Florida. Cabbage rose (Bot.), a species of rose ( Rosa centifolia) having large and heavy blossoms. Cabbage tree, Cabbage palm, a name given to palms having a terminal bud called a cabbage, as the Sabal Palmetto of the United States, and the Euterpe oleracea and Oreodoxa oleracea of the West Indies. Sea cabbage.(Bot.)

   1. Sea kale

   2. . The original Plant ( Brassica oleracea), from which the cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, etc., have been derived by cultivation.

      Thousand-headed cabbage. See Brussels sprouts.

Cauliflower \Cau"li*flow`er\, n. [F. choufleur, modified by E. Cole. L. caulis, and by E. flower; F. chou cabbage is fr. L. caulis stalk, cabbage, and fleur flower is fr. L. flos flower. See Cole, and Flower.]

1. (Bot.) An annual variety of Brassica oleracea, or cabbage, of which the cluster of young flower stalks and buds is eaten as a vegetable.

2. The edible head or ``curd'' of a cauliflower plant.

Colza \Col"za\, n. [F., fr. D. koolzaad, prop., cabbage seed; kool (akin to E. cole) + zaad, akin to E. seed.] (Bot.) A variety of cabbage ( Brassica oleracea), cultivated for its seeds, which yield an oil valued for illuminating and lubricating purposes; summer rape.

Cole \Cole\ (k[=o]l), n. [OE. col, caul, AS. cawl, cawel, fr. L. caulis, the stalk or stem of a plant, esp. a cabbage stalk, cabbage, akin to Gr. kaylo`s. Cf. Cauliflower, Kale.] (Bot.) A plant of the Brassica or Cabbage genus; esp. that form of Brassica oleracea called rape and coleseed.

collard \collard\ n. 1. a variety of kale ( Brassica oleracea) having smooth leaves; a type of colewort. It is grown in the southern U. S.

Brassica oleracea is the species of plant that includes many common foods as cultivars, including cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, kale, Brussels sprouts, collard greens, savoy, kohlrabi and kai-lan.

In its uncultivated form, it is known as wild cabbage. It is native to coastal southern and western Europe. Its high tolerance of salt and lime and its intolerance of competition from other plants typically restrict its natural occurrence to limestone sea cliffs, like the chalk cliffs on both sides of the English Channel, and the windswept coast on the western side of the Isle of Wight.

Wild B. oleracea is a tall biennial plant, forming a stout rosette of large leaves in the first year, the leaves being fleshier and thicker than those of other species of Brassica, adaptations to store water and nutrients in its difficult growing environment. In its second year, the stored nutrients are used to produce a flower spike tall bearing numerous yellow flowers.