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An unappetizing shrub became different vegetables

31 pointsby bensouthwoodlast Wednesday at 4:07 PM17 commentsview on HN

Comments

sebastiennighttoday at 5:13 AM

I already knew about this phylogenetic tree (although I have always heard the common ancestor be called the "wild mustard", not wild cabbage), but the article was quite interesting.

I only wish that as a PSA, they had included the reminder to people over 30 years old who hate Brussels sprouts, that the delicious ones you can eat today are not the ones they hated in their youth, and if you haven't had sprouts in years you might want to give them a second try (salted, oiled and baked, not boiled or steamed of course!)

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Azrael3000today at 6:16 AM

When I read the title, I immediately though, I think this is going to be about Brussel sprouts etc. as I just saw a video [0] that mentions the same lineage. The video is part of the series about the evolution of the flagellum, which is really well made.

[0]: https://youtu.be/Frioffo53wo?t=1205

estebanktoday at 6:32 AM

Ah, yes. You can't throw a rock at produce without hitting a brassica oleracia.

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goodmythicallast Wednesday at 4:32 PM

Fun fact, peppers, petunias, datura, and tobacco are all in the same family: Solanaceae.

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locusofselftoday at 6:31 AM

I love these vegetables. Especially Broccolini and Brussel Sprouts. YUM

hollerithtoday at 6:41 AM

What I appreciate most about these vegetables is that they're much lower in that pesky oxalic acid than most vegetables in the human diet.