Brassicaceae Burnett, Outlines Bot.: 854, 1093, 1123. Feb 1835, nom. cons., nom. alt.; Cruciferae Juss., Gen. Pl.: 237. 4 Aug 1789 nom. cons.

Type.

Brassica L.

Distribution.

Cosmopolitan, centered in temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere.

1. Subfamilial division

All phylogenetic studies over the past two and a half decades identify Aethionema W.T. Aiton as sister to all other Brassicaceae, which supports the recognition of two highly unequal subfamilies, the new unigeneric Aethionemoideae with 58 species and the much bigger Brassicoideae, comprising the other 98.6% of species and the rest of the generic and tribal diversity of the family.