Ricinus communis Castor Oil Plant
The Castor Oil Plant is a native of both the Mediterranean and eastern Africa and has long been harvested for the oil produced from the fruit. The raw "bean" or seed is usually mottled brownish colour and several are found in each spiny fruit capsule. The very large palmate leaves are sometimes known as Palma Christi and by reputation have healing properties on wounds. The seed itself contains the toxin Ricin which could kill humans and animals if ingested in sufficient quantities. For a plant sometimes referred to as the most poisonous in Europe, there are actually very few reported deaths from poisoning annually.
The reddish female flowers are at the top of the flowering stem with the male, pollen bearing flowers at the base. It is grown as an ornamental plant in parks and gardens and escapes to waste places in southern Europe as well as being a natural native plant.
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| Ricinus communis Castor Oil Plant fruit | Ricinus communis Castor Oil Plant leaves |
Roadside verge near cliffs, near Almuñécar, Spain 18th March 2007
Added on 16th March 2015