We find that most lineages originated along the Anatolian Diagonal, a floristic bridge connecting the east to the west, during the Pliocene. The dispersal of correlates with the local geological events, such as the uplift of the Anatolian and Iranian plateaus and the formation of the major mountain ranges of the Irano-Turanian region. Knowing the paleo-ecological context for the evolution of , in addition to the other lineages of Brassicaceae, facilitates our broader understanding for trait evolution and species diversification across the Brassicaceae.