Raphanus
Encyclopedia
Raphanus is a genus
within the flowering plant
family Brassicaceae
. Two or three species are currently classified in Raphanus. They include the cultivated radish
, Raphanus sativus and the common wild radish or jointed charlock, R. raphanistrum. Some authors accept the podding or rattail radish, R. caudatus as a third member of the genus, while others treat it as a variety of R. sativus. Substantial numbers of other species in the genus have been proposed at various times, but almost all are currently regarded as varieties of R. sativus, while a few are treated as varieties of R. raphanistrum or are not accepted as well-described species. Examples are R. raphanistrum ssp. landra and R. raphanistrum ssp. maritimus (Sea Radish).
Raphanus species grow as annual
or biennial plant
s, with a taproot
which is much enlarged in the cultivated radish. Unlike many other genera in the family Brassicaceae, Raphanus has indehiscent fruit that do not split open at maturity to reveal the seeds.
The genus is native to Asia
but its members can now be found world wide. Growing wild, they are regarded as invasive species
in many regions.
Raphanus species are used as food plants by the larva
e of some Lepidoptera
species including Cabbage Moth
, Endoclita excrescens
, Garden Carpet
and The Nutmeg
.
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
within the flowering plant
Flowering plant
The flowering plants , also known as Angiospermae or Magnoliophyta, are the most diverse group of land plants. Angiosperms are seed-producing plants like the gymnosperms and can be distinguished from the gymnosperms by a series of synapomorphies...
family Brassicaceae
Brassicaceae
Brassicaceae, a medium sized and economically important family of flowering plants , are informally known as the mustards, mustard flowers, the crucifers or the cabbage family....
. Two or three species are currently classified in Raphanus. They include the cultivated radish
Radish
The radish is an edible root vegetable of the Brassicaceae family that was domesticated in Europe, in pre-Roman times. They are grown and consumed throughout the world. Radishes have numerous varieties, varying in size, color and duration of required cultivation time...
, Raphanus sativus and the common wild radish or jointed charlock, R. raphanistrum. Some authors accept the podding or rattail radish, R. caudatus as a third member of the genus, while others treat it as a variety of R. sativus. Substantial numbers of other species in the genus have been proposed at various times, but almost all are currently regarded as varieties of R. sativus, while a few are treated as varieties of R. raphanistrum or are not accepted as well-described species. Examples are R. raphanistrum ssp. landra and R. raphanistrum ssp. maritimus (Sea Radish).
Raphanus species grow as annual
Annual plant
An annual plant is a plant that usually germinates, flowers, and dies in a year or season. True annuals will only live longer than a year if they are prevented from setting seed...
or biennial plant
Biennial plant
A biennial plant is a flowering plant that takes two years to complete its biological lifecycle. In the first year the plant grows leaves, stems, and roots , then it enters a period of dormancy over the colder months. Usually the stem remains very short and the leaves are low to the ground, forming...
s, with a taproot
Taproot
A taproot is an enlarged, somewhat straight to tapering plant root that grows vertically downward. It forms a center from which other roots sprout laterally.Plants with taproots are difficult to transplant...
which is much enlarged in the cultivated radish. Unlike many other genera in the family Brassicaceae, Raphanus has indehiscent fruit that do not split open at maturity to reveal the seeds.
The genus is native to Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
but its members can now be found world wide. Growing wild, they are regarded as invasive species
Invasive species
"Invasive species", or invasive exotics, is a nomenclature term and categorization phrase used for flora and fauna, and for specific restoration-preservation processes in native habitats, with several definitions....
in many regions.
Raphanus species are used as food plants by the larva
Larva
A larva is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into adults. Animals with indirect development such as insects, amphibians, or cnidarians typically have a larval phase of their life cycle...
e of some Lepidoptera
Lepidoptera
Lepidoptera is a large order of insects that includes moths and butterflies . It is one of the most widespread and widely recognizable insect orders in the world, encompassing moths and the three superfamilies of butterflies, skipper butterflies, and moth-butterflies...
species including Cabbage Moth
Cabbage Moth
Note: the Small White species of butterfly is commonly called a "cabbage moth" in North America.The Cabbage Moth is a common European moth of the family Noctuidae....
, Endoclita excrescens
Endoclita
Endoclita is a genus of moths of the family Hepialidae. There are 60 described species found in eastern and southeast Asia and the Indian subcontinent.- Species :*E. aboe - India*E. absurdus - China*E. actinidae - China...
, Garden Carpet
Garden Carpet
The Garden Carpet is a moth of the family Geometridae. It is an abundant and familiar species across its huge range which covers the whole Palearctic region, the Near East and North Africa....
and The Nutmeg
Nutmeg (moth)
The nutmeg , also known as the clover cutworm, is a moth of the family Noctuidae. It is found throughout Europe although in the north of its range it is a summer migrant, not being able to survive the cold winters.This is a small to medium species with cryptically coloured forewings, varying from...
.