crambe abyssinica

The hydrophobic protein crambin from the Abyssinian kale (Crambe abyssinica) is also a member of the thionin family.

'Crambe abyssinica', often just called 'Crambe' in the literature, is grown for the oil from its seeds, which are used as a substitute for whale oil.

Crambe oil is an inedible seed oil, extracted from the seeds of the Crambe abyssinica, a multibranched annual plant that is native to the Mediterranean.

It includes among its species seakale ('Crambe maritima'), grown as a leaf vegetable, Crambe cordifolia which is grown as an herbaceous border perennial, and 'Crambe abyssinica', which is grown for an oil from the seeds that has similar characteristics to whale oil.