#ricinus

[coffeenuts]

[drhoz]

#3370 - Ricinus communis - Castor Oil Plant

Named after the Latin for tick, owing to the appearance of the seeds. The common name "castor bean" probably comes from its use as a replacement for castoreum, a perfume base derived from the dried perineal glands of the beaver (castor in Latin). It's not a bean. Another common name, palm of Christ, derives from castor oil's reputed ability to heal wounds and cure ailments. But see below.

A spurge native to the SE Mediterranean Basin, Eastern Africa, and India, but now a widespread weed in tropical and subtropical areas worldwide, usually in disturbed areas.

Quite variable in size and colour, sometimes reaching 12m in height, and sometimes reddish-purple or bronze in colour. Some of that variation is due to selective breeding. Some cultivars are grown as ornamentals, but others are used for oil production. The oil has supposed medical applications, but the seeds are so poisonous that three or four are sufficient to kill an adult human. All parts of the plant are highly allergenic.

The seeds are formed with a fatty growth on one end, so they will be collected by ants, dragged to their nests, and dumped in the fertile soil of the ant's garbage heap after they're eaten the bait.

Perth, various locations. such as this garage.

[venus-garden]

Ricinus communis

[conspectusargosy]

Apparently continuing the theme of lethal plants, today I am sharing Ricinus communis or ‘castor bean,’ which is a member of Euphorbiaceae, a family which is perhaps best known for its garden representatives of spotted spurge (a persistent weed) and fire sticks (Euphorbia tirucalli). In some regions members of this family have convergently evolved to resemble cacti, but Ricinus could hardly be more different, to some resembling Cannabis plants. Native to the Mediterranean basin, Africa, and India, it is naturalized throughout the world and stands prominently in the Californian landscape. While all of the spurge family possess irritating toxic sap, the castor bean is well-known for producing an exceedingly lethal compound found densely in its seeds – ricin. The compound is so harmful that the estimated lethal oral dose for most humans is around 80mg or less. Due to the high toxicity (it can also be absorbed through skin, eyes, and wounds) some regions have laws restricting the cultivation or harvesting of the plant. Such is its reputation that it even has broken into the entertainment industry, being used for example in Breaking Bad. Despite the presence of such a hazardous compound in the fruit, the plant has great commercial value for another component composing around 50% of the seed: castor oil. This product has a huge variety of commercial applications and is even used in soaps, perfumes, and pharmaceuticals where it is largely safe since ricin is not fat-soluble. Until I spent time photographing this plant’s flowers, I didn’t really notice or appreciate its interesting floral anatomy or the vibrance of the female flowers. I still think it’s a rather ugly plant.

[akasizarabad]

Ricinus communis the castor beanor castor oil plant, is a species of perennial flowering plant in the spurge family, Euphorbiaceae. It is the sole species in the monotypic genus, Ricinus, and subtribe, Ricininae. The evolution of castor and its relation to other species are currently being studied using modern genetic tools. It reproduces with a mixed pollination system which favors selfing by geitonogamy but at the same time can be an out-crosser by anemophily (wind pollination) or entomophily (insect pollination). کَرچَک ( نام بلوچی محلّی: مورپَع) کرچک‌ها گیاهانی یک پایه بوده و روی گل آذین خوشه، به رنگ سبز و در بعضی از انواع گل‌های یک پایه قرمز بدون گلبرگ. گل‌های نر به رنگ زرد مایل به سبز با پرچم خامه‌ای و روغن دار برجسته در خوشه‌ای تخم مرغی شکل به طول حداکثر ۱۵ سانتی‌متر. گل‌های ماده، در قسمت فوقانی خوشه به رنگ قرمز و برجسته قرار گرفته‌اند. میوه کرچک به صورت کپسول کروی و خاردار متمایل به سبز (یا قرمز-ارغوانی) می‌باشد که در هنگام رسیدن سخت و شکننده می‌شود و دانه‌ها به شکل بیضوی پهن و و به شکل دانه‌های لوبیا و دارای پوسته براقی می‌باشند؛ که درون آن‌ها یک مغز کرم یا سفید بسیار روغنی قرار دارد. دانه گیاه متمایل به رنگ قهوه‌ای و تا حد زیادی سمی بوده، ریسین یک پروتئین بسیار سمی است که در دانه‌های کرچک وجود دارد. پوست این دانه‌ها حاوی این سم است که یکی از کشنده‌ترین سموم طبیعی دنیا است. 📌: DooDar - دودَر 📸: @Saheb._.bl . . . . #photography #flower #nature #Ricinus #RicinusCommunis #spiky #toxic #plant #Iran #Baluchestan #ZarAbad #Dodar #ایران #بلوچستان #زرآباد #عکاسی #طبیعت #گیاه #دودر #کرچک (at Dodar, Sistan Va Baluchestan, Iran) https://www.instagram.com/p/Cg9aeCDMgh4/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[nh-art]

Beware

[eopederson]

Castor Beans (Ricinus), Fairfax, 2020.

Some years ago, an employee at Ft. Detrick, Maryland, the site for studying and developing tools for biological warfare, was accused of planning a mass murder using the poisonous extract ricin from this plant.

[sir-subpar]

Haunted Clowns- Ricinus