Rapeseed (Brassica napus subsp. napus), also known as rape, or oilseed rape, is a bright-yellow flowering member of the family Brassicaceae (mustard or cabbage family), cultivated mainly for its oil-rich seed, which naturally contains appreciable amounts of erucic acid. The term canola denotes a group of rapeseed cultivars that were bred to have very low levels of erucic acid and which are especially prized for use as human and animal food. Rapeseed is the third-largest source of vegetable oil and the second-largest source of protein meal in the world.
And the question you were wondering about:
The term "rape" derives from the Latin word for turnip, rāpa or rāpum, cognate with the Greek word ῥάφη, rhaphe.
In Ukrianian, there are two words from that root:
ReplyDeleteріпа (REE-pah) = turnip
ріпак (ree-PAHK) = Brassica napus (the plant that is grown for the oil)
until the 1970ies, you called it rapeseed too, until the trademarked and artificial name Canola (Canada oil low acid) replaced it.
ReplyDeleteRapeseed was extensively used to desalinate the soil of the new (it's younger than me) province of Flevoland in the Netherlands after it was reclaimed from the sea. They still grow a lot of it, now for biodiesel.
ReplyDeleteGorgeous flowers.
Thanks for the 'canola' name origin info.
ReplyDelete