rape

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• oilseed-rape
• rape
• Swedish turnip
• oilseed rape
• rapeseed
• rutabaga
• winter rape
• Oil-Seed Rape
• Siberian kale
• swede

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Napus oleifera
• Raphanus napus
• Rapa napus
• Sinapis napus
• Brassica napus var. pabularia
• Brassica napus convar. pabularia
• Brassica napus convar. sibirica
• Crucifera napus
• Brassica campestris stirps napobrassica
• Brassica napus convar. rapifera
• Brassica napus subsp. pabularia
• Brassica campestris subsp. napobrassica
• Brassica campestris var. oleifera
• Brassica napus convar. oleifera
• Brassica campestris f. quadrivalvis
• Brassica oleracea var. suecica
• Brassica campestris subvar. purpurascens
• Brassica napus stirps oleifera
• Brassica gongylodes
• Brassica napus var. trimestris
• Brassica rapa subsp. rapifera
• Sinapis glauca
• Brassica napus var. italica
• Brassica napus var. leptorhiza
• Brassica oleracea proles arvensis
• Brassica oleracea var. hongnoensis
• Brassica oleracea var. napobrassica
• Brassica campestris var. akana
• Brassica campestris subsp. annua
• Brassica campestris subsp. biennis
• Brassica campestris var. biennis
• Brassica campestris var. bullatopetsai
• Brassica campestris var. dichotoma
• Brassica campestris var. glauca
• Brassica campestris f. glauca
• Brassica campestris f. luteoalba
• Brassica campestris var. napobrassica
• Brassica campestris subsp. napus
• Brassica campestris var. napus
• Brassica campestris var. nippo-oleifera
• Brassica campestris var. dentatopetsai
• Brassica campestris var. toria
• Brassica campestris f. simplex
• Brassica campestris f. spontanea
• Brassica-napus sylvestris
• Brassica napobrassica
• Brassica napobrassica convar. sibirica
• Brassica rapa convar. rapifera
• Brassica campestris var. communis
• Brassica campestris subvar. alba
• Brassica napus var. aestiva
• Brassica campestris var. rutabaga
• Brassica napus subsp. oleifera
• Brassica napus var. alba
• Brassica campestris subsp. napobrassica
• Brassica napus var. annua
• Brassica campestris subsp. rapifera
• Brassica napus var. arabica
• Brassica napus var. biennis
• Brassica napus var. brevirostris
• Brassica oleracea proles napobrassica
• Brassica napus f. micrantha
• Brassica napus var. napobrassica
• Brassica napus var. arvensis
• Brassica napus subsp. napobrassica
• Brassica napus f. annua
• Brassica napus var. nigricans
• Brassica napus f. biennis
• Brassica napus var. esculenta
• Brassica napus var. quadrivalvis
• Brassica napus var. rapifera
• Brassica napus subsp. rapifera
• Brassica praecox
• Brassica napus var. rossica
• Brassica napus f. rubescens
• Brassica napus var. rutila
• Brassica napus var. sarcorhiza
• Brassica napus var. schebalinae
• Brassica napus var. syntomocarpa
• Brassica napus var. ulti
• Brassica napus f. dissecta
• Brassica napus f. dolichocarpa
• Brassica napus var. edulis
• Brassica napus stirps esculenta
• Brassica napus var. flava
• Brassica napus var. glauca
• Brassica napus var. hiemalis
• Brassica campestris stirps pabularia
• Brassica campestris var. quadrivalvis
• Brassica campestris subvar. ulti
• Brassica rapa subsp. napus
• Brassica rutabaga
• Brassica sativa subsp. napus
• Brassica quadrivalvis
• Brassica stricta
• Brassica campestris f. rutabaga
• Brassica napus var. sahariensis
• Brassica macrorhiza var. sativa

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant, Brassica napus, belongs to the kingdom Plantae within the phylum Streptophyta and the class Equisetopsida. It is classified under the subclass Magnoliidae in the order Brassicales and is a member of the family Brassicaceae. Specifically, it falls under the genus Brassica.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a wide geographical presence across several European regions. In Northern Europe, its distribution includes Great Britain and Ireland. The species can also be found further north in Norway. Moving into Middle Europe, the plant is established within Belgium. Finally, its range extends through the Czechia-Slovakia region.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Brassica napus is characterized by its ability to thrive across a broad altitudinal gradient, ranging from sea level (0 m AMSL) up to a maximum elevation of 3000 m AMSL. It frequently colonizes disturbed environments, specifically finding suitable niches in open roadsides where sunlight availability is high and competition from dense forest canopies is minimal.

Elevational range max:

3000 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

0 m AMSL

Habitat :

open roadsides

Genetics

The genetics of Brassica napus are characterized by a complex allotetraploid genome resulting from a natural hybridization event between Brassica rapa and Brassica oleracea. This genomic composition is represented by the formula AACC, where the two distinct subgenomes contribute to a high degree of heterozygosity and genetic plasticity. Regarding its chromosomal architecture, the fundamental haploid number, or ploidy level, is expressed as n = 19, comprising two sets of 19 chromosomes derived from its progenitor species. This polyploid nature facilitates significant evolutionary advantages, such as increased allelic diversity and the potential for homeologous gene recombination, which drive the plant's adaptation to diverse environments. The intricate interplay between the A and C subgenomes influences various phenotypic expressions, including oil content, flowering time, and resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses, making its genetic landscape a primary focus for biotechnological improvement.

Ploidy :

n

Life history

The life history of Brassica napus is characterized by an annual lifecycle, completing its entire developmental process from germination to seed production within a single growing season. As a therophyte, the plant's life strategy relies on producing seeds that persist through unfavorable conditions, ensuring the survival of the species once favorable environmental conditions return. This life form dictates its growth pattern, where the vegetative structures are ephemeral and die back completely at the end of the cycle, leaving only the seeds to endure the dormant period.

Life form :

therophyte

Lifecycle :

annual

Morphology

The morphology of Brassica napus is characterized by its growth form as a non-woody herb and specifically a forb. This plant is a self-supporting, independent species that does not exhibit climbing or parasitic behaviors, nor does it function as an epiphyte, maintaining a strictly terrestrial existence. In terms of stature, it displays significant variability in height, with individual plants ranging from a minimum of 0.3 m to a maximum of 1.5 m, resulting in a mean plant height of approximately 0.854 m.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Growth form :

forb

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

1.5 m

Plant height mean:

0.854 m

Plant height min:

0.3 m

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiology of Brassica napus is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, a common metabolic strategy among temperate plants that involves the direct fixation of carbon dioxide through the Calvin cycle. As a non-carnivorous species, it relies entirely on autotrophic nutrient acquisition from the soil rather than capturing prey. Its vegetative morphology is defined by variable leaf dimensions, with leaf lengths ranging from a minimum of 5 cm to a mean of 15 cm, reaching a maximum of 25 cm. The leaf width exhibits significant plasticity, with a minimum width of 2 cm, a mean of 10 cm, and a maximum of 6 cm. Furthermore, the plant exhibits a mean Specific Leaf Area (SLA) of 248.05 cm²/g, reflecting its leaf mass per area and providing insight into its resource allocation strategies and light-use efficiency during growth.

Carnivory :

non-carnivorous

Leaf length max:

25 cm

Leaf length mean:

15 cm

Leaf length min:

5 cm

Leaf width max:

6 cm

Leaf width mean:

10 cm

Leaf width min:

2 cm

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Specific Leaf Area (SLA) mean:

248.05 cm²/g

Reproduction

The reproduction of Brassica napus is primarily sexual, characterized by bisexual flowers that allow for self-fertilization. The flowering period typically begins in April and extends through August. Pollination is a biotic process, specifically utilizing an insect syndrome with a strong emphasis on bees. The plant produces flowers ranging in length from 1 cm to 1.5 cm. Following successful pollination, the plant develops dry, dehiscence-type fruits, classified as capsules (siliquae), which vary in length from a minimum of 4 cm to a maximum of 8 cm, with a mean length of 6.5 cm and a mean width of 0.4 cm. These fruits are highly prolific, containing more than 1000 seeds per fruit. The seeds themselves are small, with a mean mass of approximately 0.00348 g (ranging from 0.0014 g to 0.005225 g), a consistent width of 2 mm, and a uniform volume of 4.2 mm³. Dispersal of the seeds is categorized as both unspecialized and anthropochorous. Notably, asexual reproduction is absent in this species.

Dehiscence :

dehiscent

Dispersal syndrome :

unspecialized

Dispersal syndrome :

anthropochorous

Flower length max:

1.5 cm

Flower length min:

1 cm

Flowering time :

Apr

Flowering time :

Aug

Fruit dryness :

dry

Fruit length max:

8 cm

Fruit length mean:

6.5 cm

Fruit length min:

4 cm

Fruit type :

capsule

Fruit width mean:

0.4 cm

Pollination syndrome :

insect

Pollination syndrome :

bee

Pollination syndrome :

biotic

Reproduction asexual :

absent

Reproduction sexual :

bisexual

Seed mass max:

0.005225 g

Seed mass mean:

0.00348225775 g

Seed mass min:

0.0014 g

Seed volume max:

4.2 mm³

Seed width mean:

2 mm

Seeds_per_fruit :

>1000

Self fertilization :

present

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Brassica napus has 2 reported plant parts identified across 3 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include seed, leaf.

Seed

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
2. Ukrainskii biokhimicheskii zhurnal (1978)

Leaf

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Chemicals

Brassica napus has 121 reported phytochemicals identified across 3 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include cystine, lysine, methionine, tryptophan, Brassinolide.

cystine

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of agricultural and food chemistry
3. Plant foods for human nutrition (Dordrecht, Netherlands)

lysine

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of agricultural and food chemistry
3. Plant foods for human nutrition (Dordrecht, Netherlands)

methionine

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of agricultural and food chemistry
3. Plant foods for human nutrition (Dordrecht, Netherlands)

tryptophan

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of agricultural and food chemistry
3. Plant foods for human nutrition (Dordrecht, Netherlands)

Brassinolide

1. Dr. Duke
2. Steroids

CALCIUM

1. Dr. Duke
2. Biochimica et biophysica acta

CAMPESTEROL

1. Dr. Duke
2. Lipids

FAT

1. Dr. Duke
2. Archiv fur Tierernahrung

Glucosinolates

1. Journal of chromatography. A
2. Ukrainskii biokhimicheskii zhurnal (1978)

PHOSPHORUS

1. Dr. Duke
2. Frontiers in plant science

Activities

Brassica napus has 421 reported activities identified across 3 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant, 5-Alpha-Reductase-Inhibitor, ACE-Inhibitor, AP-1-Inhibitor, Acarifuge.

Antioxidant

1. Dr. Duke
2. Food chemistry

5-Alpha-Reductase-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

ACE-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

AP-1-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

Acarifuge

1. Dr. Duke

Acidulant

1. Dr. Duke

Adjuvant

1. Dr. Duke

Aldose-Reductase-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

Allergenic

1. Dr. Duke

Alpha-Reductase-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

Medicinal Uses

Brassica napus has 13 reported medicinal uses identified across 3 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include salt stress, Inflammation, Oxidative Stress, autophagy, cell death.

Most Reported Uses

Preparations