Ricinus communis L.
-
Authority
Acevedo-Rodríguez, Pedro & collaborators. 1996. Flora of St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 78: 1-581.
-
Family
Euphorbiaceae
-
Scientific Name
-
Description
Species Description - Monoecious shrub or small tree 1-2.5 m tall, glabrous, producing a clear watery latex; stems soft-wooded, usually reddish when young. Leaves alternate; blades 7-9-palmately lobed, with rounded outline, to 20 cm wide, membranous, peltate, the venation prominent, glabrous, the base cordate, the lobes lanceolate, with acuminate apex and serrate-glandular margins; petioles as long as the blades, reddish; stipules to 1.5 cm long, ovate-lanceolate. Flowers in cymules disposed along a terminal, bisexual, erect panicle calyx calyptrate, splitting into 3-5 sepals, to 9 mm long; corolla and nectary disk wanting. Staminate flowers in proximal cymules; stamens numerous, the filaments connate into fascicles; pistillode absent. Pistillate flowers in distal cymules on inflorescence; ovary 3-lobed, of 3 uniovular carpels, the styles connate at base, bifid, papillose. Fruit a 3-lobed ovoid capsule, 2 cm diam., covered with soft spinelike projections, with 1 seed per locule. Seeds ellipsoid, 1-1.8 cm long, brown, black mottled.
-
Discussion
Common names: castorbean, castor oil plant, castornut, ricin
-
Distribution
A weed of disturbed areas. Fish Bay (A2502). Also on St. Croix, St. Thomas, Tortola, and Virgin Gorda; native to Africa but cultivated and naturalized throughout tropical America.
Africa| Virgin Gorda Virgin Islands South America| Tortola Virgin Islands South America| Saint Thomas Virgin Islands of the United States South America| Saint Croix Virgin Islands of the United States South America|