Which species is the ancestor of cabbage, broccoli, and cauliflower?
Answer
B. oleracea var. oleracea
Cabbage, along with broccoli, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts, belongs to the *Brassica oleracea* species. The foundational plant from which these diverse cole crops are derived is specifically identified as the wild cabbage, known scientifically as *B. oleracea var. oleracea*. This shared ancestry explains why they share fundamental botanical characteristics, such as the four-petaled, cross-like flower structure that gave the entire group its original designation, Cruciferae. This close relationship highlights a long history of selective breeding acting upon a single ancestral wild form.
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