RICINUS 



RICINUS 



2965 



3409. Fruit of cas- 

 tor bean, showing the 

 capsules inside. (XI) 



Herbaceous, or becoming small trees in the tropics, 

 glabrous, or rarely subspinose, branching repeatedly 

 from below the fl. -clusters: Ivs. large, alternate, pel- 

 tate, palmately 5-12-lobed, the lobes dentate or ser- 

 rate; petiole with conspicuous glands: fls. monoecious, 

 in terminal or apparently lateral racemes or subpanicu- 

 late, without petals or disk; 

 calyx 3-5-parted, valvate; 

 stamina te fls. short-pedi- 

 celled, in the upper part of 

 the raceme; stamens many, 

 filaments much branched, 

 no rudimentary pistil; pistil- 

 late fls. below, longer-pedi- 

 celled; styles 3, plumose: 

 caps, generally covered with 

 soft spinose processes, 3- 

 celled, 1 ovule in each cell, 

 explosively separating into 

 2-valved coccae when ripe; 

 seeds ovoid, with a large 

 caruncle; seed-coat crustaceous, variously marked 

 and colored; endosperm fleshy and oily; coty- 

 ledons broad, cordate or ovate. Hundreds of 

 forms are known, many so well marked as to 

 deserve specific rank, were they not so thoroughly 

 connected by intermediate forms and hybridiz- 

 ing so freely when brought together. Most botan- 

 ists follow* Mueller (De Candolle's Prodromus, vol. 15, 

 pt. 2 : 1061, 1866) in referring them all to the one species. 

 Probably a native of Afr., but now cult, and wild in 

 most tropical and temperate lands. 



Castor beans have been cultivated from the earliest 

 times for the oil of the seeds. The Hebrew name 

 indicates that perhaps this is the plant referred to in 

 the Book of Jonah as a gourd. The oil (castor-oil, 

 Oleum Ricini) is used in medicine and in the arts and 

 in some places in the preparation of food. The seed 

 contains a poisonous principle, ricinin. For the cultiva- 

 tion of castor beans as a field crop, see "Cyclopedia of 

 American Agriculture," 2:229. The chief castor-oil-pro- 

 ducing region is in India, but some is grown in the 

 United States, especially in Oklahoma. 



Ricinus is one of the best plants for giving a tropical 

 effect in beds and borders or planted singly. It thrives 

 in rich well-drained sandy or clay loam, but is not 

 suited for stiff clay or very sandy soil. For garden 

 decoration the seeds may be planted in May where they 

 are to grow, or sown indoors in small pots, two or 



3410. Ricinus communis. 



3411. Clump of Ricinus communis. 



three seeds each, in early spring, and after germination 

 thinned to one plant to a pot. As they grow they may be 

 transferred to larger pots and finally planted out. The 

 castor beans have practically no insect or fungous 

 enemies of importance. They have been erroneously 

 supposed to keep away moles and malaria. 



commftnis, Linn. CASTOR BEAN. CASTOR-OIL 

 PLANT. PALMA CHRISTI. Figs. 3409-3411. Three to 

 15 ft. high when grown as an annual, 30-40 ft. in the 

 tropics. The various varieties are distinguished by the 

 size, color, and outline of the plant and Ivs., the glands 

 of the petiole, the number and size of the processes on 

 the caps., the shape of the cotyledons, and especially 

 the size, form, color, and markings of the seed, which 

 show variations sufficient to distinguish individual 

 plants, and even separate branches of the same plant. 

 So far as the forms commonly in cult, are concerned, 

 the species may be subdivided as follows: 



A. Markings of seed-coat marbled, distinct from the 

 ground-color; seed less than twice as broad as thick; 

 cotyledons elliptical or oblong, nearly truncate at base, 

 petiole-glands various. 



B. Seeds small to medium, brown-marked; petiole- 

 glands flat, not projecting. This includes most of the 

 oil-producing varieties and the typical R. communis 

 (illustrations, variety not designated: B.M. 2209. 

 A.G. 17:363. F.W. 1868:98. Gn. 1, p. 541; 9, p. 460. 

 Gt. 24, p. 281; 31, p. 20. Mn. 7, p. 223. R.H. 1861, 

 pp. 9, 10. V. 2:224); also the following varieties: 

 giganteus (lividus, Willd., pruinosus, ?), glaucous foliage 

 (V. 16:148); arboreus; major; minor; viridis, sis. and 

 Ivs. green; inermis, fr. smooth; purpurdscens; africa- 

 nus; elegantissimus; speciosus. 



BB. Seeds medium to large, reddish to reddish-brown: 

 glands of petiole large, projecting: plant usually red: st. 

 often more hollow, short-lived and early-fruiting. The 

 typical form is var. sanguineus (Obermdnni, lividus, 

 Jacq.?) (Gn. 5, p. 349. R.H. 1858, pp. 602, 603); 

 macrocdrpus (V. 16 : 148) ; purpitreus (tricolor) ; atropur- 

 pureus; sanguinolentus; macrophyUus?; macrophyUus 

 purpiireus; pulcherrimus. 



BBB. Seeds as in BB, but dark brown to black: other- 

 wise as in B. Bourboniensis, and its vars. ndnus and 

 arboreus (V. 16:148). 



AA. Markings of seed-coat rather straight, slightly 

 raised above the ground-color and distinct from it; seeds 



