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Radish
Scientific Name: Raphanus
Family:
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Wild and garden Radishes are considered by some botanists as two varieties of the species Raphamus raphanistrum: others believe that the garden radish is a true species (Raphanus sativus or Raphanus radicula) and the wild radish a variety (var. niger) of the latter, while some books list the wild radish as Raphanus raphanistrum. The origin of the radish, like that of most cultivated plants, is uncertain, but it was certainly known in China and Egypt in ancient times and also to the Greeks and Romans. Today the coarser wild radish is practically no longer used, but the garden radish is popular in salads or eaten raw as a relish. In France radishes are served as an hors-d'oeuvres with fresh, crusty bread and butter. Three groups of cultivars existed: (1) the familiar red globe-shaped varieties of radish: Champion, Cherry Belle, Red boy, Scarlet Globe, and Comet, and the Round Black Spanish, a round-type radish with deep black skin that is excellent for storage in moist sand during the winter; (2) the long-root and Summer Cross and long and red: half-long, Naples half-long; (3) numerous globular ones, deeply and totally pigmented, or half and half red and white, Saxa, Perfection, and Champion. The food value of the radish is almost insignificant. However, it contains some vitamin C, and is good for stimulating appetites. [Bianchini, Francesco, Corbetta, Francesco, Pistoia, Marilena, The Complete Book of Fruits and Vegetables, United States Translation: Crown Publishers, New York, 1976; Originally published in Italy as I Frutti della Terra, Arnoldo Mondadori Publisher, Italy, 1973]