The authors analyzed the seeds and pollen of three taxa belonging to the genus Eruca Miller (E. pinnatifida (Desf.)
Pomel f. aurea (Batt.) Maire, E. sativa Miller, E. vesicaria (L.) Cav. using OM and SEM. The study of
morphobiometric data identified three morphotypes and an identification key was elaborated. The length of the polar
axis of the pollen grains and the length of the seeds represent the primary characters for distinguishing the taxa of
Eruca and those belonging to the genus Diplotaxis observed in a previous study (De Leonardis et al., 2002). Further
characters are the thickness of the sexine (more accentuated in Diplotaxis) and the different disposition of the seed
coat reticulum. Moreover, based on the palynological and seminal characters found the close affinity between Eruca
vesicaria and E. sativa confirmed the systematic placing proposed by Tutin et al. (1964) who placed them in E.
vesicaria (L.) Cav. ssp. vesicaria and E. vesicaria (L.) Cav. ssp. sativa (Miller) Thell. respectively. The two taxa had
a greater affinity with respect to E. pinnatifida f. aurea that is nearer to the group of taxa belonging to the genus
Diplotaxis as can be seen from the examination of the dendrogram.