Brown Mustard

brown mustard, (Brassica juncea), also called Indian mustard or Chinese mustard, herbaceous plant of the family Brassicaceae grown primarily for its pungent seeds, which are a source of the condiment known as mustard, and as a leafy vegetable. Stronger in flavour than white mustard (Sinapsis alba), brown mustard seeds are characteristic of many French-type paste mustards. The plant is native to the Himalayas and is cultivated in temperate regions of the world. The leaves and swollen leaf stems of brown mustard plants are edible and used as greens or potherbs; they are especially important as a vegetable in much of Asia and Africa, and numerous varieties and cultivars have been developed. The plant is also grown as a source of vegetable oil and is an important crop for this purpose in northern India, Pakistan, China, southern Russia, and Kazakhstan. The oil is used for food or for industrial purposes, with the residual cake used for animal feed.