Brassica napus
L., Sp. Pl. 666. 1753. B. campestris L. subsp. napus (L.) Hook. f.
& T. Anderson in Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 1: 156. 1872.
Herbs, annual or biennial, erect, 50 - 150 cm high; taproot fusiform, tuberous,
slender or stout. Leaves glaucous; basal leaves petiolate, lyrato-pinnatipartite or not,
5 - 22 x 1 - 70 cm, glabrous or sparingly pubescent; upper leaves sessile, shallowly cordate
at base, clasping the stem, entire or dentate. Racemes 5 -
50 cm long; pedicels 1 -
2 cm
long, up to 3 cm in fruit. Sepals erecto-patent, 6 -
8 mm long. Petals clawed, 10 -
20 mm
long deep or light yellow. Basal stamens shorter and erecto-patent. Fruits 4 -
11 cm
long, 3 -
4 mm thick, suberect, attenuate to a long slender up to 3 cm long beak. Seeds
obscurely dentate.
KEY TO THE SUBSPECIES
| 1a. Roots and stem base tuberous | 2.1. napobrassica |
| b. Roots and stem base slender | 2.2. napus |
