rocket

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• arugula
• edible rocket
• garden rocket
• rocket-salad
• salad rocket
• Gaden Eruca
• Rocket
• Rocket Salad

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Raphanus vesicarius
• Velleruca vesicaria
• Euzomum vesicarium
• Eruca sativa subsp. vesicaria
• Eruca vesicaria var. albiflora
• Eruca vesicaria var. flaviflora
• Brassica vesicaria
• Eruca sativa var. vesicaria

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

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

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant is primarily found across the Mediterranean region. In Southwestern Europe, its presence is specifically noted in Spain. Moving across the sea, its range extends into Northern Africa. Within this African territory, the species is distributed throughout Algeria. Additionally, the plant can be found growing in Morocco.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Eruca vesicaria is characterized by its remarkable adaptability to diverse altitudinal gradients, spanning an elevational range from sea level (0 m AMSL) to high-altitude environments reaching up to 3100 m AMSL. This wide vertical distribution allows the species to occupy various ecological niches across different mountain systems and coastal regions. In terms of specific microhabitats, the plant is frequently found colonizing anthropogenic environments, specifically within crop fields, where it thrives amidst agricultural landscapes. This ability to integrate into disturbed or cultivated habitats, combined with its extensive altitudinal tolerance, underscores its resilience and wide ecological footprint.

Elevational range max:

3100 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

0 m AMSL

Habitat :

crop fields

Life history

The life history of Eruca vesicaria is characterized by an annual lifecycle, meaning the plant completes its entire developmental process—from germination to seed production—within a single growing season. As a therophyte, it survives the unfavorable periods of its environment by existing solely in the form of seeds, which remain dormant until conditions become suitable for growth. This strategy allows the plant to emerge, flourish, and reproduce rapidly, ensuring the continuity of its species before the onset of seasonal stress.

Life form :

therophyte

Lifecycle :

annual

Morphology

The morphology of Eruca vesicaria is characterized by its growth form as a non-woody herb and forb. It is a terrestrial, independent species that does not function as a parasite or an epiphyte. The plant exhibits an erect shoot orientation and is self-supporting rather than acting as a climber, liana, or vine. In terms of stature, it is a relatively low-growing plant with a height ranging from a minimum of 0.05 m to a maximum of 1.2 m, maintaining an average plant height of approximately 0.3875 m.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Growth form :

forb

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

1.2 m

Plant height mean:

0.3875 m

Plant height min:

0.05 m

Shoot orientation :

erect

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiology of Eruca vesicaria is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, which involves the direct fixation of carbon dioxide through the Calvin cycle without the specialized adaptations found in C4 or CAM plants. Its morphological structure includes lyrate leaf forms, a specific leaf shape that influences its surface area for light absorption and gas exchange. As a non-carnivorous organism, it derives its nutritional requirements through the uptake of minerals from the soil rather than through the digestion of prey. Furthermore, the plant is not a nitrogen fixer, meaning it lacks the symbiotic relationship with diazotrophic bacteria necessary to convert atmospheric nitrogen into usable forms, relying instead on available nitrogenous compounds within its substrate.

Carnivory :

non-carnivorous

Leaf form :

lyrate

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Reproduction

The reproduction of Eruca vesicaria is characterized by a sexual process through bisexual flowers, with asexual reproduction being absent. The flowering period primarily occurs around April, though it can vary across different months. The plant features white flowers arranged in a raceme inflorescence, with individual flower lengths ranging from 1.5 cm to 2 cm. Pollination is achieved through biotic methods, specifically via an insect pollination syndrome. Following fertilization, the plant produces dry, dehiscent fruit in the form of a capsule. These capsules vary in size, with a length between 1 cm and 1.8 cm and a width between 0.4 cm and 0.6 cm. The resulting seeds are quite small, possessing a mean mass of approximately 0.001022857 g, with individual seed masses ranging from a minimum of 0.0006 g to a maximum of 0.0024 g. Dispersal of the seeds is categorized by an unspecialized syndrome, though it also exhibits anthropochorous tendencies.

Dehiscence :

dehiscent

Dispersal syndrome :

unspecialized

Dispersal syndrome :

anthropochorous

Flower colour :

white

Flower length max:

2 cm

Flower length min:

1.5 cm

Flowering time :

Apr

Fruit dryness :

dry

Fruit length max:

1.8 cm

Fruit length min:

1 cm

Fruit type :

capsule

Fruit width max:

0.6 cm

Fruit width min:

0.4 cm

Inflorescence :

raceme

Pollination syndrome :

insect

Pollination syndrome :

biotic

Reproduction asexual :

absent

Reproduction sexual :

bisexual

Seed mass max:

0.0024 g

Seed mass mean:

0.001022857 g

Seed mass min:

6e-04 g

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Chemicals

Eruca vesicaria has 10 reported phytochemicals identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include CALCIUM, Condensed Tannins, Flavonoids, MAGNESIUM, Oleuropein.

CALCIUM

1. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)

Condensed Tannins

1. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)

Flavonoids

1. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)

MAGNESIUM

1. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)

Oleuropein

1. Chemistry & biodiversity

RUTIN

1. Chemistry & biodiversity

SINAPIC ACID

1. Chemistry & biodiversity

luteolin

1. Chemistry & biodiversity

quercetin

1. Chemistry & biodiversity

vitamin C

1. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)

Activities

Eruca vesicaria has 3 reported activities identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antibacterial, Antimicrobial, Antioxidant.

Antibacterial

1. Chemistry & biodiversity

Antimicrobial

1. Chemistry & biodiversity

Antioxidant

1. Chemistry & biodiversity

Conditions

Eruca vesicaria has 1 reported investigations on conditions identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include inflammation.

Inflammation

1. Chemistry & biodiversity

Preparations

Eruca vesicaria has 4 reported preparations identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include aqueous fraction, butanol fraction, chloroform fraction, ethyl acetate fraction.

Aqueous fraction

1. Chemistry & biodiversity

Butanol fraction

1. Chemistry & biodiversity

Chloroform fraction

1. Chemistry & biodiversity

Ethyl acetate fraction

1. Chemistry & biodiversity