The flowering plant family Brassicaceae, also called Cruciferae, is known as the mustard family or cabbage family. Agricultural plants in the mustard family are also known as cole crops; cole comes from the Latin word caulis (stem), as does the German Kohl.

The family contains species of great economic importance, providing much of the world's winter vegetables. These include cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, collards, and kale (all cultivars of one species, Brassica oleracea), Chinese kale, rutabaga (also known as Swedish turnips or swedes), seakale, turnip, radish and kohl rabi. Other well known members of the Brassicaceae include rapeseed (canola and others), mustard, horseradish, wasabi and watercress. The most intensely studied member of the Brassicaceae is the model organism Arabidopsis thaliana.

The family was formerly named Cruciferae ("cross-bearing"), because the four petals of their flowers are reminiscent of crosses. Many botanists still refer to members of the family as "crucifers". According to ICBN Art. 18.5 (St Louis Code) Cruciferae is to be regarded as validly published, and is thus an accepted alternate name.

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@barwoid • Cauliflower is in the Brassicaceae family
dman19473 (Danielle Mancuso) Thu, 03 Dec 2009 16:16:32 -0000
@barwoid • Cauliflower is in the Brassicaceae family
acabo de descobrir q o brócolis e a couve-flor são primos, todos da família brassicaceae.
marcelourania (Marcelo Urânia) Tue, 01 Dec 2009 16:11:14 -0000
acabo de descobrir q o brócolis e a couve-flor são primos, todos da família brassicaceae.

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