Brassica rapa L., Brassicaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Common name(s): [more details]

English: bird rape, bird's rape, birdsrape mustard, colbaga, common turnip, field mustard, turnip, tyfon, wild mustard, wild turnip

French: moutarde des oiseaux, navet blanc, navette sauvage, rave

Other: navet

Spanish: alpiste, colza, mostacilla, mostaza, mostaza blanca, mostaza silvestre, nabo, nabo chino, nabo gallego, nabo silvestre, yuyo

Habit:  herb

Description:  "Annual with lax rosette.  Stems erect or ascending, glabrous, to 1.5 m tall, sometimes becoming subwoody below.  Lower leaves petiolate, lyrate-pinnatifid with large terminal and 1-3 pairs of lateral lobes, bright green, bristly, 15-25-(30) x 5-10 cm; margins sinuate, toothed.  Upper leaves becoming amplexicaul, glaucous, not lobed, sessile, glabrous, narrowly triangular, entire, 2-10 x 1-2 cm.  Racemes to 40 cm long; open flowers overtopping buds.  Sepals narrow-oblong, (4)-5-7 x 1-1.5 mm.  Petals bright yellow, 6-10 x 3-4 mm.  Lateral stamens spreading.  Silique terete, glabrous, linear-lanceolate, slightly constructed between seeds, (30)-40-60 x 2-5 mm; gynophore 0; valves with prominent median and weaker lateral veins; beak tapering, seedless, 6-10 mm long.  Seeds reddish brown, 1-1.5 mm diameter"  (Webb et al., 1988; pp. 407-408).

Habitat/ecology:  "The plant is found in regions with 350 to 1600 mm of annual precipitation, average temperatures from 5.6 to 25° C, and soil pH from 4.8 to 8.1"  (Duke, 1979, cited in Holm et al., 1997; p. 120).

In Hawai‘i, "presumably cultivated and now naturalized in disturbed habitats, especially pastures"  (Wagner et al., 1999; p. 400).  In Fiji, "occasionally cultivated and also naturalized as a weed in canefields, waste places, etc., near sea level"  (Smith, 1981; p. 706).  In New Zealand, "common and persistent weed of pastures, roadsides, waste places and gardens"  (Webb et al., 1988; pp. 407-408).

Propagation:  Seed

Native range:  "Only cultivated & naturalized, probable origin Eurasia" (GRIN).

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) Floreana Group	Floreana Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Charles Darwin Foundation (2008)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) Isabela Group	Isabela Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Charles Darwin Foundation (2008) Observed in survey, no herbarium record.
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) San Cristóbal Group	San Cristóbal Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Charles Darwin Foundation (2008)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) Santa Cruz Group	Santa Cruz Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Charles Darwin Foundation (2008)
Fiji Fiji Islands	Viti Levu Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Smith, Albert C. (1981) (p. 706) As. Brassica campestris L.; voucher cited: DA 10364
Guam Guam Island	Guam Island		Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 82) As Brassica pekinensis Rupr.
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Hawai‘i (Big) Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (pp. 400, 1865)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Kaua‘i Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (pp. 400, 1865)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Lāna‘i Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (pp. 400, 1865)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Maui Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R. (1995) (p. 17) East Maui. Voucher cited: Hobdy 3289 (BISH)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Maui Island	introduced invasive	Oppenheimer, Hank L./Bartlett, Randal T. (2002) (pp. 6-7) West Maui. Voucher cited: Oppenheimer H129905 (BISH)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Moloka‘i Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (pp. 400, 1865)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	O‘ahu Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (pp. 400, 1865)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Pearl and Hermes Reef	introduced invasive cultivated	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (pp. 400, 1865)
Marshall Islands Ralik Chain	Kwajalein (Kuwajleen) Atoll		Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 82) As Brassica pekinensis Rupr.
New Caledonia New Caledonia Archipelago	Île Grande Terre	introduced invasive cultivated	Jérémie, J./Hoff, M./Jonsell, B. (1997) (p. 87) Voucher cited: MacKee 29197 Très répandue comme mauvaise herbe.

Pacific Rim
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Australia Australia (continental)	Australia (continental)		Hafliger, Toni J./Wolf, Matthias (1988) (p. 148)
Australia Australia (continental)	New South Wales		Holm, Leroy/Doll, Jerry/Holm, Eric/Pancho, Jaun/Herberger, James (1997) (p. 117)
Australia Australia (continental)	Queensland		Holm, Leroy/Doll, Jerry/Holm, Eric/Pancho, Jaun/Herberger, James (1997) (p. 117)
Cambodia Cambodia	Cambodia (Kingdom of)		Holm, Leroy/Doll, Jerry/Holm, Eric/Pancho, Jaun/Herberger, James (1997) (p. 117)
Chile (continental) Chile	Chile (Republic of)		Holm, Leroy/Doll, Jerry/Holm, Eric/Pancho, Jaun/Herberger, James (1997) (p. 117)
China China	China (People's Republic of)		Holm, Leroy/Doll, Jerry/Holm, Eric/Pancho, Jaun/Herberger, James (1997) (p. 117)
Colombia Colombia	Colombia (Republic of)		Holm, Leroy/Doll, Jerry/Holm, Eric/Pancho, Jaun/Herberger, James (1997) (p. 117)
Costa Rica Costa Rica	Costa Rica (Republic of)		Holm, Leroy/Doll, Jerry/Holm, Eric/Pancho, Jaun/Herberger, James (1997) (p. 123)
Guatemala Guatemala	Guatemala (Republic of)		Holm, Leroy/Doll, Jerry/Holm, Eric/Pancho, Jaun/Herberger, James (1997) (p. 122)
Honduras Honduras	Honduras (Republic of)		Holm, Leroy/Doll, Jerry/Holm, Eric/Pancho, Jaun/Herberger, James (1997) (p. 122)
Japan Japan	Japan (country)		Holm, Leroy/Doll, Jerry/Holm, Eric/Pancho, Jaun/Herberger, James (1997) (p. 117)
Mexico Mexico	Mexico (United Mexican States)		Holm, Leroy/Doll, Jerry/Holm, Eric/Pancho, Jaun/Herberger, James (1997) (p. 117)
New Zealand New Zealand	New Zealand (country)	introduced invasive cultivated	Webb, C. J./Sykes, W. R./Garnock-Jones, P. J. (1988) (pp. 407-408) "Common and persistent weed of pastures, roadsides, waste places and gardens".
Perú Perú	Perú (Republic of)		Holm, Leroy/Doll, Jerry/Holm, Eric/Pancho, Jaun/Herberger, James (1997) (p. 117)
Thailand Thailand	Thailand (Kingdom of)		Holm, Leroy/Doll, Jerry/Holm, Eric/Pancho, Jaun/Herberger, James (1997) (p. 117)

Additional information:
Additional online information about Brassica rapa is available from the Hawaiian Ecosystems at Risk project (HEAR).

Information about Brassica rapa as a weed (worldwide references) may be available from the Global Compendium of Weeds (GCW).

Taxonomic information about Brassica rapa may be available from the Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN).

References:

Charles Darwin Foundation. 2008. Database inventory of introduced plant species in the rural and urban zones of Galapagos. Charles Darwin Foundation, Galapagos, Ecuador.

Charles Darwin Research Station. 2005. CDRS Herbarium records.

Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce. 1979. A geographical checklist of the Micronesian dicotyledonae. Micronesica 15:1-295.

Hafliger, Toni J./Wolf, Matthias. 1988. Dicot weeds, vol. 1. CIBA-GEIGY Ltd., Basle, Switzerland. 335 pp.

Holm, Leroy/Doll, Jerry/Holm, Eric/Pancho, Jaun/Herberger, James. 1997. World weeds: natural histories and distribution. John Wiley & Sons. 1129 pp.

Jérémie, J./Hoff, M./Jonsell, B. 1997. Sphenostemonaceae, Anacardiaceae, Cruciferae. Flore de la Nouvelle-Calédonie et Dépendances. Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris. Vol. 21, 121 pp.

Oppenheimer, Hank L./Bartlett, Randal T. 2002. New plant records from the main Hawaiian Islands. In: Evenhuis, Neal L. and Eldredge, Lucius G., eds. Records of the Hawaii Biological Survey for 2000. Part 2: Notes. Bishop Museum Occasional Papers. 69:1-14.

Orchard, Anthony E., ed. 1994. Flora of Australia. Vol. 49, Oceanic islands 1. Australian Government Publishing Service, Canberra.

Smith, Albert C. 1981. Flora Vitiensis nova: a new flora of Fiji. National Tropical Botanical Garden, Lawai, Kauai, Hawaii. Volume 2. 810 pp.

U. S. Government. 2009. Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS) (on-line resource).

U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. 2009. National Genetic Resources Program. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN). Online searchable database.

Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R. 1995. Contributions to the Flora of Hawai‘i. IV. New Records and name changes. In: Evenhuis, Neal L. and Miller, Scott, E., eds. Records of the Hawaii Biological Survey for 1994. Part 2: Notes. Bishop Museum Occasional Papers. 42:13-27.

Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. 1999. Manual of the flowering plants of Hawaii. Revised edition. Bernice P. Bishop Museum special publication. University of Hawai‘i Press/Bishop Museum Press, Honolulu. 1919 pp. (two volumes).

Webb, C. J./Sykes, W. R./Garnock-Jones, P. J. 1988. Flora of New Zealand, Volume IV: Naturalised pteridophytes, gymnosperms, dicotyledons. Botany Division, DSIR, Christchurch. 1365 pp.