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The Wild radish (Raphanus raphanistrum) belongs to Brassicaceae (the Mustard family). It is an annual or a biennial herb that is believed to be native to Europe, western Asia, and central Asia. It is now naturalized in most parts of the world. In Japan, it was introduced in the early Showa period (1926-1989) and is found growing in many places. The stem is erect and branched at the top, reaching a height of about 120 cm. The leaves are pinnate compound with the large apex lobe and alternate. The leaves have one to four pairs of lateral lobes. The entire plant is bristly. From spring to summer, it produces an inflorescence at the top of the stem with four-petaled flowers about 2 cm in diameter. The petals vary from pale yellow, pale purple, and white, and have reticulate veins. The root is not enlarged, although it is called "radish". The fruit is cylindrical or narrowly lanceolate, strongly constricted between the seeds, and beak-shaped with a pointed tip.
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