SC - Torta of Herbs(Cariadoc's Miscellany) question

[Philip & Susan Troy]

Unto the Noble Lord Ras!

Uduido at aol.com wrote:

> M'lord Adamantius,
> 
> I must point out the the Beta (beet) family and the Brassica (cabbage,
> mustard , etc.) family are NOT related even a smidgin in the plant world.
> However,  you are correct in trivializing the differances between French and
> Swiss Chard. Both versions of Beta are for all practical purposes identical.
> 
> If i have posted this information in error, would you please be kind enough
> to send me your sourses, etc. so I could upgrade my data base? Thank-you.

I wouldn't necessarily call it an error. It just depends on how you
define a smidgin. They aren't of the same species, nor the same genus
(Beta is a genus, e.g. Beta Fillintheblankicus), but I had specified
family, even if that is an oversimplification. I do know that beets,
radishes,  and turnips are related fairly closely, and I know that
radishes and turnips are related to mustards and cabbages. Ergo my
assumption that beets and cabbages are related more closely than just
both being plants. I'm employing a syllogism here, rather than referring
to some specific source. I think it's logically supportable, but I don't
any hard proof at my fingertips, nor any emotional attachment to my
putative rightness ;  ). Again, I may be able to look this up and post
something a little more concrete later.

Although I could have sworn I'd said it was chard and cabbages that were
related...

Adamantius
> 
> Lord Ras