A group of
plants from the families
Cruciferae and
Brassicaceae, also know as the mustard family. They include a variety of
plants and
weeds, and the food crops
cabbage,
radish,
broccoli,
cauliflower, and
brussels sprouts.
These foods are all best eaten
fresh and
raw, or with minimal
blanching. They become bitter when old, and release a bad
sulfurous aroma when overcooked.
The name comes from the
Latin root crux, for cross, referring to the plants' characteristic four-leaf clusters. It may also refer to other things with a cross-like shape, although a more common term is "
cruciform".