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35. CRUCIFERAE
1. Brassica alba Hook f. and Th in Hook. Fl. Brit. Ind. 1: 157. 1872. (Fig. 156).
Brassica foliosa Willd.—SinaprAs alba Linn.—Leucosinapsis alba Spach.
Engl. White Mustard; Sinh. Ela-aba; Tarn. Kagudu. Venkaduku; Hindi Sufed-rai;
Sans. Siddhartha.
An erect, annual herb, about 60 cm high with a few, ascending branches, stiff, bright green,
bristly with reflexed hairs throughout; leaves simple, alternate, petioled, pinnatifid, the lowest
ones with a terminal lobe large, the divisions reaching to the midrib, uppermost ones less
cut, rough with hairs; flowers regular, bisexual, yellow in corymbose racemes, pedicels longer
than the calyx, ebracteate; sepals 4, nearly oblong, pale green, spreading; petals 4, alternating
with the sepals, pale yellow, spreading; stamens 6, hypogynous, tetra-dynamous, the two with
the shortest filaments lateral, inserted lower than the others with a small gland placed above the
base of each, the four with longer filaments placed in pairs antero-posteriorly, with a large gland
at the base of each pair, anthers versatile; pistil superior, oblong-ovoid, a little longer than
stamens, hairy below, acuminate at apex; siliquas 2.5—3.7 cm long, on divaricate stalks,
spreading, the lower half bearded with 4—6 contained seeds, the upper half a flat, vertical, nearly
smooth beak curved upwards with a seed contained at its base, valves short with 3 prominent
veins, strongly bristly; seeds subglobular, 2.5 mm diameter, pale yellow, testa smooth.
Illustration. Bentley and Trimen, Med. Plants, pi. 23. 1880.
Distribution. Occurs in east Syria and throughout southern Europe. It is a frequent
weed in cultivated ground in England, Asia Minor, Algeria and China. It is cultivated in the
Punjab in India.
Composition. The seeds on grinding yield a fixed oil and myrosin. They also contain
a crystalline principle called sinalbin which is a compound of sulphocyanate of acrinyl, sulphate
of sinapin and sugar.
Uses. Mustard is a powerful stimulant and a valuable rubefacient. It is used as an
emetic in narcotic poisoning and diuretic Tor dropsy. As a poultice, it is applied on the chest
for bronchitis, pleurisy and for alleviation of neuralgic pains. The powdered seeds are added
to warm water and used to bathe the feet in cases of high fever.
Mustard is frequently used as a condiment, as it promotes the appetite and assists
digestion.
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