Two characteristic features of brassica rapa are the clasping, unlobed stem leaves and the overtopping of the buds compared with the flowers.
Common names:
Wild turnip, field mustard
Family:
Scientific name:
Brassica rapa
Main flower color:
Range:
Most of the UK; least common in northern Scotland
Height:
Up to 120 cm
Habitat:
Waste ground, fields, riverbanks, clifftops
Flowers:
Yellow, four-petalled, up to 13 mm across, in compact, flat-topped clusters in which buds tend to be slightly higher than the open flowers
Fruit:
Narrow, hairless, cylindrical pods, up to 8 cm long, angled above the plane, attached by shorter stalks
Leaves:
Stem leaves are clasping, unlobed, greyish-green, lined with a few small, well-separated teeth. Basal leaves are pinnately lobed, and wither before flowering. Leaves and stems are usually hairless
Season:
May to September
Rarity:
★★★★★
