Brassica juncea (Brown mustard)

Brassica juncea (L.) Czern.

Brown mustard, mustard greens, Indian mustard, Chinese mustard, kai choi

Kingdom	Plantae	Plants, but not fungi, lichens, or algae
Subkingdom	Tracheobionta	Vascular plants—plants with a “circulatory system” for delivering water and nutrients
Division	Magnoliophyta	Flowering plants, also known as angiosperms
Class	Magnoliopsida	Dicotyledons—plants with two initial seed leaves
Subclass	Rosidae	Roses, legumes, proteas, dogwoods, hydrangeas, mistletoes, euphorbias, grapes, many more
Order	Brassicales	Mustard, cabbage, caper, papaya, nasturtiums, many others; most produce mustard oil
Family	Brassicaceae	Mustards, cabbages
Genus	Brassica	A Latin name for “cabbage”
Species	juncea	Rush-like, referring to the leafless stems of this plant

About plant names...

Brown mustard originated in Asia, but has become naturalized throughout North America

Plants: Up to 3' (1 m) tall, with long, erect branches.

Leaves: Lower leaves have petioles (stems), are green but sometimes with a whitish covering, ovate to obovate, with various undulating margins that might be called toothed, scalloped, or frilled. Upper leaves are on shorter stems or sessile, 1-2" (3-6 cm) × ¹/₁₆-⅛" (2-3.5 mm), sometimes constricted, thinning to a short seedless beak ⅛-⅜" (5-10 mm) long.

Flowers: Flowers are pale yellow, a bit scraggly, with four petals, about ½" (1.3 cm) around. They appear in June.

Fruits: Fruits are shaped like thin beans, ½-1½" (1.5-4 cm) long. Seeds are miniscule: there are well over 15,000 in an ounce.

Edibility: Leaves, flowers, and young flowering stems are peppery flavored, eaten raw or cooked. Seeds are used to create prepared brown mustard. Brown mustard shows up in various forms in a wide variety of Asian, African, and American cuisines.

Online References:

Brassica juncea on gobotany.nativeplanttrust.org

Brassica juncea at Purdue University's Center for New Crops and Plants Products

Brassica juncea on Plants for a Future, a resource and information centre for edible and otherwise useful plants

7/27/2015 · Two Lights, Cape Elizabeth, Maine
≈ 1¾ × 2" (4.9 × 5.2 cm)

7/17/2010 · Kennebunkport, Maine
≈ 6 × 6" (16 × 15 cm) ID is uncertain

7/15/2012 · Fort Point State Park, Stockton Springs, Maine
≈ 3 × 3" (7.8 × 8.0 cm) ID is uncertain

Brassica integrifolia Rupr.

Brassica japonica Thunb.

Brassica juncea (L.) Czern. var. crispifolia L.H. Bailey

Brassica juncea (L.) Czern. var. japonica (Thunb.) L.H. Bailey

Brassica willdenowii Boiss.

Sinapis juncea L.

Brassica integrifolia (Vahl) O.E.Schulz non Rupr.

Brassica juncea description by Thomas H. Kent, last updated 30 Aug 2021.

7/15/2012 · Fort Point State Park, Stockton Springs, Maine
≈ 8 × 5" (19 × 13 cm) ID is uncertain

7/27/2015 · Two Lights, Cape Elizabeth, Maine
≈ 3½ × 2½" (9.4 × 6.3 cm)

7/15/2012 · Fort Point State Park, Stockton Springs, Maine
≈ 14 × 11" (34 × 26 cm) ID is uncertain

7/15/2012 · Fort Point State Park, Stockton Springs, Maine
≈ 13 × 10" (33 × 24 cm) ID is uncertain

7/17/2010 · Kennebunkport, Maine
≈ 4½ × 3½" (11 × 9.2 cm) ID is uncertain

7/17/2010 · Kennebunkport, Maine
≈ 9 × 6" (22 × 14 cm) ID is uncertain

Range: Zones 2-11:

About this map...