Jim,

>What *are* Collards?  :)
>
>I know, I know, they're a green leafy vegetable, but do they have another
>name?
>
>I have never seen collards for sale in a grocery store. I am wondering if
>they have a different name in Australia?

I've never heard of collards either (other than on this list :) ).

I've just consulted the "Seed Savers' Handbook" by Michel & Jude Fanton,
and it has this to say:

"Collard

Brassica oleracea var. acephala - brassica is Latin for cabbage, and
oleracea for 'vegetable-like'; acephala is Greek for 'without a head'.

Origins: This favourite of the Scots and English is a short-stemmed, leafy
variety of cabbage, whose origins it shares.

Description: Very ancient in cultivation, collard is an extremely rustic
plant which can withstand a wide range of temperatures. It bears a
confusing range of names such as cole, borecole, colewort and even kale in
England. It is the cabbage most resistant to heat, and it also resists
cold. It has rounded flat leaves and is open-hearted."

The entry for kale indicates that it has exactly the same scientific name
as collard, so the two must be very closely related.

Other cabbage-like vegetables all appear to be the same species as the
above, but different varieties.

Regards,
Barbara