Relatives

Crambe maritima L. - Sea kale, maritime colewort.

Taxonomic position.

Family: Brassicaceae; genus: Crambe L.

Synonyms.

Crambe puntica steven.

Morphology and biology.

Perennial plant. Glabrous, with bluish grey bloom. Root is thick. Stem is erect, thick, short, 50-60 cm tall, angular and branchy; all leaves are fleshy. Bottom leaves are elongated, ovate or almost round, emarginate or irregularly pinnate; those on the top are obtuse, near the base oblique, 10-28 cm in length and 8-24 cm in width, set on long leafstalks, 3.5-13 cm in length. Stem leaves are set on short stalks (1-2 cm long), ovate or rhombic, acuminate, with a wedge-shaped base, 6-8 cm long and 4-6 cm wide. Apical leaves are oblong-linear, full, 3-4 cm long and 2-3 cm wide, unequally serrated along the edge. Flowers are fragrant, large; sepals are 3-4.5 mm long; petals are 7-9 mm long, with wide, inverse oval shape, slightly emarginate on the top. Inflorescence becomes compressed after fading. Pedicels are 8-26 mm long, obliquely upright under fruit. Fruit are 7-9 mm long, ovoid or almost globular, fleshy, smooth or wrinkled. Blossoms in April-May; bears fruit in May-July. Entomophilous. Chromosome number is unknown.

Distribution.

Generally distributed throughout Europe along seacoasts. In the Former Soviet Union, species is found in the European region; along the Black Sea coast, Crimea and lower Don River; and in the Caucasus - Ante-Caucasus and Western Trans-Caucasus (Novorossiysk).

Ecology.

On coastal sands.

Utilization and economic value.

In the Caucasus, it is considered a wholesome vegetable and used for food when boiled.

Reference citations:

Bush, N.A., ed. 1939. Flora of the USSR. Cruciferae. Moscow-Leningrad. V. 8: 600-602. (In Russian)
Cherepanov S.K. 1988. Plantae Vasculares Rossicae et Civitatum Collimitanearum (in limics USSR olim)[List of Vascular Plants of Russia]. St. Petersburg: Mir I Semia. 990 pp. (In Russian)
Dorofeev V.I. 1998. Family Cruciferae (Brassicaceae) middle Zone of the European part of the Russian Federation. Turchaninowia: Barnaul. V. 1(3): 94. (In Russian)
Dorofeev V.I. 2002. Cruciferae (Brassicaceae) of European Russia. Turchaninowia: Barnaul. V. 5(3): 115. (In Russian)
Grossgeim, A.A. 1950. Flora of the Caucasus. Moscow-Leningrad. V. 4: 175. (In Russian)

© Smekalova T.N.

 

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