Wrinkled Rapeseed (Rapistrum rugosum)

Description

The wrinkled rapeseed, also known as the wrinkled wind buck, is an annual herbaceous plant that belongs to the genus Rapistrum within the cruciferous family (Brassicaceae).

### Vegetative Characteristics

* The plant reaches heights of 15 to 60 centimeters.
* The upright stem is blunt-edged, branched from the bottom, and hairy.
* The branches are upright and end in inflorescences.
* The base and alternately arranged leaves of the stem are dark green and roughly haired on both sides by scattered bristle trichomes. Only the upper leaves are bare.
* The base leaves and lower stem leaves are stalked and have a length of 5 to 15 centimeters, with a width of 1.5 to 5 centimeters. They are lean-lobed, feather-particled or feathered, and usually have three triangular egg-shaped notched-toothed leaf flaps on each side, increasing in size from the bottom, and a larger roundish egg-shaped end section.

### Morphology

* The plant is a single year, triloquist, and vegetable with 1 soft hair.
* The leaves are green, variable in form and size, divided into leaflets. They can be up to 25 cm long and 11 cm wide.
* Flowers have dark-colored living parts and yellow petals that are 6-8 mm long and 2-3 mm wide.
* The fruit is a spherical, curly string.
* Seeds are long, shiny yellow, measuring 1.5-2 mm in length and 1.5 mm in width.

Distribution

The wrinkled rapeseed is native to North Africa, including Algeria, Egypt (Sinai), Libya, Morocco, and Tunisia. It has also been introduced to other regions, including:

* Asia: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Russia (Dagistan, European, Predication), Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Cyprus, Iraq, Israel, Lebanon, Syria, Turkey
* Europe: Ukraine, Albania, Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece, Montenegro, Slovenia, France, Portugal, Gibraltar, Spain
* Africa: Eritrea, Ethiopia, Namibia, South Africa
* Asia: Japan, Saudi Arabia, Yemen
* Australia and New Zealand
* South America: Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Uruguay
* North America: Mexico