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| Online Flora of the Maltese Islands by Stephen Mifsud |
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Brassica rupestris (Wild turnip) |
Brassica rupestris (BRASSICACEAE.)
Images for this profile are taken from the Maltese Islands after year 2000.
Website launch: Oct-2002
Taxonomic update: Aug-2026
Code update: Jul-2026 |
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| Nomenclature and General Information |
Species name : |
Brassica rupestrisRaf.
Published in Caratt. Nuov. Gen. : 191 (1810) |
Synonyms :
(basionym or principal syn.) |
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Plant Family : |
Brassicaceae Juss. (The Mustard or Cress Family) Previously included in Cruciferae
56 species from the Brassicaceae family are recorded from the Maltese Islands. | English name(s) : | Wild turnip, Rock cabbage, Cliff cabbage |
Maltese name(s) : |
Libsiena tal-irdum, Kaboċċa tal-blat |
Status for Malta : |
Alien ? |
Frequency : |
Very Common Common Frequent Scarce Rare Very rare Extinct |
Growth form : |
Germination type [info]: Dicotyledon
Raunkiaer lifeform [info]: Chameophyte ( small woody shrubs with vegetative buds well above the ground ) |
Legal Protection : |
Not legally protected till the last update of this website (22/Aug/2025) |
Red List (1989) : |
Not listed in the Red Data Book of the Maltese Islands |
Flowering Time : |
March – May |
Colour of Flowers: |
Yellow |
Toxicity: |
Not particularly toxic |
Name Derivation : |
Brassica: Old name used for cabbages by Pliny (23 - 79 AD). (Latin origin)
rupestris: ()
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Planting in rural areas : |
Can be planted in rural areas according to ERA Guidelines |
Remarks : |
The small population discovered by Jeffrey Sciberras in a rocky valley in Malta persisted for only a few years. It is believed to have been accidentally introduced via the footwear, clothing, or backpacks of cliff-climbing athletes who practice their sport in this valley, precisely where the plants were found. No plants were observed on the vertical faces of the escarpments. |
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Description, Habitat and Distribution | |
Botanical Description |
Erect perennial up to 80 cm, typically found on vertical limestone cliffs. Stems glaucous, branched, sparsely pubescent or glabrous. Basal leaves pinnatifid to lyrate, up to 25 cm long, with broad terminal lobes and smaller lateral segments; upper cauline leaves lanceolate to linear, entire or slightly dentate, sessile and amplexicaul. Inflorescence a terminal raceme, elongating in fruit, many-flowered. Pedicels ascending, 5–10 mm. Sepals 4, green, oblong, about 3 mm. Petals bright yellow, 6–8 mm, obovate, clawed, forming a cruciform corolla. Stamens 6, tetradynamous, included. Silique cylindrical, 2–4 cm long, slightly compressed, tapering into a slender beak 4–6 mm; valves with distinct midrib. Style short, stigma capitate. Seeds globose to ovoid, about 2 mm, brown, finely reticulate. Flowers March to May. Endemic to Sicily and southern Italy, adapted to rocky habitats with limited soil and seasonal drought. | |
Habitat in Europe |
Data will be available in the next update of this website.
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Preferred habitat in Malta |
Cliff sides, escarpments of rocky valley sides
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Chromosome number(s) |
2n=18 |
Distributional maps from various sources |
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Occurrences in Europe
(from Euro+Med Checklist till 2024)
Country codes
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Ct -It Si(S) [cPo]
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| Links & Further literature
(0 papers) |
Google Web |
Google Images |
Google Scholar |
Research Gate |
Wikipedia |
JSTOR |
GBIF |
Med Checklist |
Cat. of Life |
EoL |
IPNI |
World Flora Online |
Plants of the World Online |
Vienna Virt. Herb. |
RBGE Herbarium |
KEW Herbarium |
MNHN |
Garden Database |
IUCN |
TROPICOS |
Kindly Email if there are papers and publications about local
studies or information about this species to be included in the list above.
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Sales and Donations
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Sales of seeds of wild plant from Malta: Seeds of selected wild plant species may be available for academic studies, research purposes, or personal use. Please note that not all species can be supplied or exported. Availability is subject to seasonal seed production, stock levels, and applicable regulations, including Maltese legislation and CITES requirements where relevant. Protected and endemic species cannot be sold (at least without the relevant environmental permits).
How it works: First, submit a quotation request by completing the Online Quotation Form (link provided on the right side of this table). Once your request has been reviewed, you will receive confirmation regarding seed availability, export eligibility (where applicable), pricing, and any transport charges. Payments are accepted by Revolut, bank transfer (IBAN), or PayPal only; credit and debit card payments are not accepted.
Please note that local orders are currently not being accepted. Seek Maltese nurseries and NGOs for local orders.
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Online Quotation (Seeds)
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Buy Images: Purchase photographs from this extensive online collection of Maltese flora by Stephen Mifsud. Images are available at reasonable prices, with rates varying according to image size and resolution. Your purchase helps support the maintenance and development of this website. When placing an order, please note the image code displayed beneath each photograph on the corresponding species page, as this is required when completing the online order form. Images are normally supplied under a license agreement, with copyright retained by the author; however, the sale of copyright for exceptional images may be considered on request.
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Online Purchase (Images)
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| Contribute Information or Report Errors |
Use this form to submit additional information about this species or to report any inaccuracies on this webpage.
If the information you provide is sourced from a book, journal, website, or any other publication, rather then your own information or experience, then please include the relevant reference or web address whenever possible. Your email address will be used solely for internal communication and will not be shared. We greatly appreciate reports of: taxonomic updates; species misidentifications; incorrect or outdated information, broken links, technical website issues, or any additional information specific to the plant in this webpage.
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Webpage is copyright of Stephen Mifsud / www.MaltaWildPlants.com - (2002-2026)
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Atlas Flora Europaea
GBIF Distribution Map
WFO Distribution map
