Brassica chinensis

Pak-choi

Family Cruciferae (or Brassicaceae)

Brassica chinensis, pak-choi (B. chinensis 1), is grown as an annual herb with shining broad basal leaves, 20-50 cm long, with white petioles (B. chinensis 2) and yellow flowers in a terminal raceme. The slender fruits are up to 6 cm long, with a short beak.

Use
Pak-choi is sometimes referred to as Chinese cabbage, but is not forming a compact head (B. chinensis 3). The leaves are eaten cooked as a vegetable or fresh in salads. Pak-choi is of eastern Asian origin and is mainly cultivated in China and Japan (B. chinensis 4). The variety Brassica chinensis var. pekinensis, also referred to as a different species, Brassica pekinensis, pe-tsai or Chinese cabbage (B. pekinensis 1), has soft leaves with a greenish midrib, which form a loose elongated head, superficially resembling cos lettuce.