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RESEDACEAE

(Mignonette family)

70 species in 6 genera are chiefly found in the Mediterranean region but also from Europe to central Asia and India and in southern Africa and California. The family is botanically related to Cruciferae and Cleomaceae which yield mustard oils.

[Summary yet to be added]

Reseda

60 species are found in Europe and from the Mediterranean region to central Asia. R. lutea (dyer's weed) yields a yellow dye.

Reseda odorata

Mignonette

The plant has rubefacient properties (Burkill 1935). This plant and also R. lutea, R. luteola, and R. alba contain thioglucosides from which irritant "mustard oils" (isothiocyanates) are derived (Kjaer 1960). Allergenicity of the plants is a possibility (cf. Raphanus, fam. Cruciferae).

References

• Burkill, I.H. (1935) A Dictionary of the Economic Products of the Malay Peninsula, 2 Vols. London. Crown Agents for the Colonies.
• Kjaer, A. (1960) Naturally derived isothiocyanates (mustard oils) and their parent glucosides. In: Progress in the Chemistry of Organic Natural Products. ed. Zechmeister, L. Vol. 18. Vienna. Springer-Verlag. pp. 122-176.

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