The Brassicales (or Cruciales) are an order of flowering plants (anthophytes), belonging to the eurosids II group of dicotyledons under the APG II system. One character common to many members of the order is the production of glucosinolate (mustard oil) compounds. Most systems of classification have included this order, although sometimes under the name Capparales (the name chosen depending on which is thought to have priority).

The anthophytes are a grouping of plant taxa bearing flower-like reproductive structures. They were formerly thought to be a clade comprising plants bearing flower-like structures. The group contained the angiosperms - the extant flowering plants, such as roses and grasses - as well as the Gnetales and the extinct Bennettitales.

23,420 species of vascular plant have been recorded in South Africa, making it the sixth most species-rich country in the world and the most species-rich country on the African continent. Of these, 153 species are considered to be threatened. Nine biomes have been described in South Africa: Fynbos, Succulent Karoo, desert, Nama Karoo, grassland, savanna, Albany thickets, the Indian Ocean coastal belt, and forests.

The 2018 South African National Biodiversity Institute's National Biodiversity Assessment plant checklist lists 35,130 taxa in the phyla Anthocerotophyta (hornworts (6)), Anthophyta (flowering plants (33534)), Bryophyta (mosses (685)), Cycadophyta (cycads (42)), Lycopodiophyta (Lycophytes(45)), Marchantiophyta (liverworts (376)), Pinophyta (conifers (33)), and Pteridophyta (cryptogams (408)).

Six families are represented in the literature. Listed taxa include species, subspecies, varieties, and forms as recorded, some of which have subsequently been allocated to other taxa as synonyms, in which cases the accepted taxon is appended to the listing. Multiple entries under alternative names reflect taxonomic revision over time.

Brassicaceae Family: Brassicaceae,

Alyssum Genus Alyssum: Alyssum minutum Schltdl. ex DC. not indigenous, naturalised

Aplanodes Genus Aplanodes: Aplanodes doidgeana Marais, endemic Aplanodes sisymbrioides (Schltr.) Marais, indigenous

Arabidopsis Genus Arabidopsis: Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Heynh. not indigenous, naturalised

Barbarea Genus Barbarea: Barbarea verna (Mill.) Asch. not indigenous, naturalised

Brachycarpaea Genus Brachycarpaea: Brachycarpaea juncea (P.J.Bergius) Marais, accepted as Heliophila juncea (P.J.Bergius) Druce, endemic

Brassica Genus Brassica: Brassica elongata Ehrh. subsp, elongata, not indigenous, naturalised Brassica juncea (L.) Czern. & Coss. not indigenous, naturalised Brassica nigra (L.) W.D.J.Koch, not indigenous, naturalised Brassica rapa L. not indigenous, naturalised Brassica tournefortii Gouan, not indigenous, naturalised, invasive

Camelina Genus Camelina: Camelina rumelica Velen. not indigenous, naturalised

Capsella Genus Capsella: Capsella bursa-pastoris (L.) Medik. not indigenous, naturalised

Cardamine Genus Cardamine: Cardamine africana L. indigenous Cardamine flexuosa With. not indigenous, naturalised Cardamine hirsuta L. not indigenous, naturalised Cardamine impatiens L. not indigenous, naturalised Cardamine trichocarpa Hochst. ex A.Rich. indigenous Cardamine trichocarpa Hochst. ex A.Rich. subsp, trichocarpa, endemic

Cardaria Genus Cardaria: Cardaria draba (L.) Desv. accepted as Lepidium draba L. not indigenous, naturalised

Chamira Genus Chamira: Chamira circaeoides (L.f.) Zahlbr. endemic

Cheiranthus Genus Cheiranthus: Cheiranthus linearis Thunb. accepted as Heliophila linearis DC. var, linearis, indigenous

Coronopus Genus Coronopus: Coronopus didymus (L.) Sm. not indigenous, naturalised Coronopus integrifolius (DC.) Spreng. not indigenous, naturalised Lepidium coronopus (L.) Al-Shehbaz (formerly Coronopus squamatus (Forssk.) Asch.) not indigenous, naturalised

Crambe Genus Crambe: Crambe hispanica L. not indigenous, naturalised

Cycloptychis Genus Cycloptychis: Cycloptychis marlothii O.E.Schulz, accepted as Heliophila hurkana Al-Shehbaz & Mumm. endemic Cycloptychis virgata (Thunb.) E.Mey. ex Sond. accepted as Heliophila maraisiana Al-Shehbaz & Mumm. endemic

Descurainia Genus Descurainia: Descurainia sophia (L.) Webb ex Prantl, not indigenous, naturalised

Diplotaxis Genus Diplotaxis: Diplotaxis muralis (L.) DC. not indigenous, naturalised Diplotaxis muralis (L.) DC. subsp, muralis, not indigenous, naturalised

Eruca Genus Eruca: Eruca sativa Mill. not indigenous, naturalised

Erucastrum Genus Erucastrum: Erucastrum austroafricanum Al-Shehbaz & Warwick, indigenous Erucastrum griquense (N.E.Br.) O.E.Schulz, indigenous Erucastrum strigosum (Thunb.) O.E.Schulz, indigenous

Heliophila Genus Heliophila: Heliophila acuminata (Eckl. & Zeyh.) Steud. endemic Heliophila adpressa O.E.Schulz, endemic Heliophila affinis Sond. endemic Heliophila africana (L.) Marais, endemic Heliophila alpina Marais, indigenous Heliophila amplexicaulis L.f. endemic Heliophila arenaria Sond. indigenous Heliophila arenaria Sond. var, acocksii Marais, endemic Heliophila arenaria Sond. var, agtertuinensis (O.E.Schulz) Marais, endemic Heliophila arenaria Sond. var, arenaria, endemic Heliophila arenaria Sond. var, glabrescens (O.E.Schulz) Marais, endemic Heliophila arenosa Schltr. endemic Heliophila brachycarpa Meisn. endemic Heliophila brassicifolia Eckl. & Zeyh. endemic Heliophila bulbostyla P.E.Barnes, endemic Heliophila callosa (L.f.) DC. endemic Heliophila carnosa (Thunb.) Steud. indigenous Heliophila cedarbergensis Marais, endemic Heliophila cinerea Marais, endemic Heliophila collina O.E.Schulz, endemic Heliophila concatenata Sond. endemic Heliophila cornellsbergia B.J.Pienaar & Nicholas, endemic Heliophila cornuta Sond. indigenous Heliophila cornuta Sond. var, cornuta, indigenous Heliophila cornuta Sond. var, squamata (Schltr.) Marais, indigenous Heliophila coronopifolia L. indigenous Heliophila crithmifolia Willd. indigenous Heliophila cuneata Marais, endemic Heliophila descurva Schltr. endemic Heliophila deserticola Schltr. var, deserticola, indigenous Heliophila deserticola Schltr. var, micrantha A.Schreib. indigenous Heliophila diffusa (Thunb.) DC. indigenous Heliophila diffusa (Thunb.) DC. var, diffusa, endemic Heliophila diffusa (Thunb.) DC. var, flacca (Sond.) Marais, endemic Heliophila digitata L.f. endemic Heliophila dregeana Sond. endemic Heliophila elata Sond. indigenous Heliophila elata Sond. var, elata, endemic Heliophila elata Sond. var, pillansii Marais, endemic Heliophila elongata (Thunb.) DC. endemic Heliophila ephemera P.A.Bean, endemic Heliophila esterhuyseniae Marais, endemic Heliophila eximia Marais, indigenous Heliophila filicaulis Marais, endemic Heliophila formosa Hilliard & B.L.Burtt, indigenous Heliophila gariepina Schltr. endemic Heliophila glauca Burch. ex DC. endemic Heliophila hurkana Al-Shehbaz & Mumm. endemic Heliophila juncea (P.J.Bergius) Druce, endemic Heliophila katbergensis Marais, endemic Heliophila laciniata Marais, endemic Heliophila lactea Schltr. indigenous Heliophila latisiliqua E.Mey. ex Sond. var, latisiliqua, accepted as Heliophila thunbergii (Eckl. & Zeyh.) Steud. var, thunbergii, present Heliophila latisiliqua E.Mey. ex Sond. var, macrostylis (E.Mey. ex Sond.) Marais, accepted as Heliophila thunbergii (Eckl. & Zeyh.) Steud. var, macrostylis (E.Mey. ex Sond.) B.Nord. present Heliophila leptophylla Schltr. endemic Heliophila linearifolia Burch. ex DC. var, filifolia Sond. accepted as Heliophila coronopifolia L. Heliophila linearis DC. endemic Heliophila linearis DC. var, linearifolia (Burch. ex DC.) Marais, endemic Heliophila linearis DC. var, linearis, endemic Heliophila linearis DC. var, reticulata (Eckl. & Zeyh.) Marais, endemic Heliophila linoides Schltr. endemic Heliophila macowaniana Schltr. endemic Heliophila macra Schltr. endemic Heliophila macrosperma Burch. ex DC. endemic Heliophila maraisiana Al-Shehbaz & Mumm. endemic Heliophila meyeri Sond. indigenous Heliophila meyeri Sond. var, meyeri, endemic Heliophila meyeri Sond. var, minor Marais, endemic Heliophila minima (Stephens) Marais, indigenous Heliophila monosperma Al-Shehbaz & Mumm. endemic Heliophila namaquana Bolus, endemic Heliophila namaquensis (Marais) Al-Shehbaz & Mumm. endemic Heliophila nubigena Schltr. endemic Heliophila patens Oliv. endemic Heliophila pectinata Burch. ex DC. endemic Heliophila pendula Willd. endemic Heliophila pinnata L.f. endemic Heliophila promontorii Marais, endemic Heliophila pubescens Burch. ex Sond. endemic Heliophila pusilla L.f. indigenous Heliophila pusilla L.f. var, lanceolata (Adamson) Marais, endemic Heliophila pusilla L.f. var, macrosperma Marais, endemic Heliophila pusilla L.f. var, pusilla, endemic Heliophila pusilla L.f. var, setacea (Schltr.) Marais, endemic Heliophila ramosissima O.E.Schulz, endemic Heliophila refracta Sond. endemic Heliophila remotiflora O.E.Schulz, endemic Heliophila rigidiuscula Sond. indigenous Heliophila rimicola Marais, endemic Heliophila scandens Harv. endemic Heliophila schulzii Marais, endemic Heliophila scoparia Burch. ex DC. indigenous Heliophila scoparia Burch. ex DC. var, aspera (Schltr.) Marais, endemic Heliophila scoparia Burch. ex DC. var, scoparia, endemic Heliophila seselifolia Burch. ex DC. indigenous Heliophila seselifolia Burch. ex DC. var, marlothii (O.E.Schulz) Marais, endemic Heliophila seselifolia Burch. ex DC. var, nigellifolia (Schltr.) Marais, endemic Heliophila seselifolia Burch. ex DC. var, seselifolia, indigenous Heliophila suavissima Burch. ex DC. indigenous Heliophila suborbicularis Al-Shehbaz & Mumm. endemic Heliophila subulata Burch. ex DC. endemic Heliophila tabularis Wolley-Dod, endemic Heliophila thunbergii (Eckl. & Zeyh.) Steud. indigenous Heliophila thunbergii (Eckl. & Zeyh.) Steud. var, macrostylis (E.Mey. ex Sond.) B.Nord. endemic Heliophila thunbergii (Eckl. & Zeyh.) Steud. var, thunbergii, endemic Heliophila tricuspidata Schltr. endemic Heliophila trifurca Burch. ex DC. indigenous Heliophila tulbaghensis Schinz, endemic Heliophila variabilis Burch. ex DC. indigenous

Hirschfeldia Genus Hirschfeldia: Hirschfeldia incana (L.) Lagr.-Foss. not indigenous, naturalised

Hymenolobus Genus Hymenolobus: Hymenolobus procumbens (L.) Nutt. in Torr. & A.Gray, not indigenous, naturalised

Lepidium Genus Lepidium: Lepidium africanum (Burm.f.) DC. indigenous Lepidium africanum (Burm.f.) DC. subsp, africanum, indigenous Lepidium africanum (Burm.f.) DC. subsp, divaricatum (Aiton) Jonsell, indigenous Lepidium basuticum Marais, indigenous Lepidium bipinnatum Thunb. endemic Lepidium bonariense L. not indigenous, naturalised Lepidium campestre R.Br. not indigenous, naturalised Lepidium capense Thunb. endemic Lepidium desertorum Eckl. & Zeyh. indigenous Lepidium draba L. not indigenous, naturalised, invasive Lepidium ecklonii Schrad. endemic Lepidium flexuosum Thunb. endemic Lepidium mossii Thell. endemic Lepidium myriocarpum Sond. indigenous Lepidium pinnatum Thunb. endemic Lepidium schinzii Thell. indigenous Lepidium schlechteri Thell. endemic Lepidium suluense Marais, indigenous Lepidium transvaalense Marais, indigenous Lepidium trifurcum Sond. indigenous Lepidium virginicum L. not indigenous, naturalised

Lobularia Genus Lobularia: Lobularia maritima (L.) Desv. not indigenous, naturalised

Matthiola Genus Matthiola: Matthiola bicornis (Sibth. & Sm.) DC. not indigenous, naturalised Matthiola incana (L.) R.Br. not indigenous, naturalised Matthiola torulosa (Thunb.) DC. indigenous

Nasturtium Genus Nasturtium: Nasturtium officinale R.Br. not indigenous, naturalised, invasive

Raphanus Genus Raphanus: Raphanus raphanistrum L. not indigenous, naturalised, invasive Raphanus sativus L. not indigenous, cultivated, naturalised

Rapistrum Genus Rapistrum: