This genus is mainly distributed in North Africa, the Middle East, and Southern Europe.

Flowers of this genus are actinomorphic-dissymmetrical and mostly lilac in color, although they vary from white to purple depending on the species and climatic conditions.

Some species show extreme phenotypic plasticity for flower size, shape, and color.

[2] Moricandia shows high variability in the morphological characters used for identification, making this genus's taxonomy complex and, many times, controversial.

Moricandia moricandioides commonly known as violet cabbage, a native of the Mediterranean, is cultivated as a garden flower.