Acephala group

Acephala group
Three young plants of non-heading collard greens growing in a small office wastebasket with a water reservoir at the bottom
Three young plants of non-heading collard greens growing in a small office wastebasket with a water reservoir at the bottom
SpeciesBrassica oleracea
Cultivar groupAcephala Group
Originunknown
Cultivar group membersMany; see text.

The acephala group refers to any type of Brassica which grows without the central 'head' typical of many varieties of cabbage. These are included within the species Brassica oleracea, such as kale (Brassica oleracea var. acephala).[1] The name literally means "without a head" in contrast to those varieties known as capitata or "with a head". This group includes a number of species, both wild and cultivated, many of which are grown for their edible leaves and flowers.

  1. ^ Random House Webster's College Dictionary, New York 1992, p. 736 (s.v. kale)