PLATE - CCCCEEX 
RICINUS ARMATUS. 
Prickly-capsuled Ricinus. 
a 
CLASS ant. “ORDER Van 
MONOECIA MONADELPHIA. One House. One Brotherhood. 
ESSENTIAL GENERIC CHARACTER. 
nes 
Mas. Calyx 5-partitus. Corolla 0. Stamina Mates. Empalement 5-patted. ‘Blossom none 
numerosa, Chives numerous. ; 
Femina. Calyx 3-partitus. Corolla 0. Pis- Femare. Empalement 3-parted. Blossom 
tilli 3, bifidi. Capsula 3-locularis. Se- none, Pointals 3, 2-cleft. Capsule 
men 1. 3-celled. Seed one. 
SPECIFIC CHARACTER. 
Ricinus, foliis peltatis alte palmato-novem- Ricinus, with leaves peltated deeply palmate- 
fidis serratis, petiolis glandulosis, capsulis g-cleft and serrated, with glandulose peti- 
undique spinis herbaceis, oles, and capsules every where furnished 
| with herbaceous spines. 
| reer 
REFERENCE TO THE PLATE, 
1. A male flower. = 
2. The male empalement. 
- 3. The pointals. 
4. A capsule. 
5. A seed. 
eee 
Tue species of Ricinus here depicted, was raised in Lady Holland’s garden at Kensington last sum- 
mer, from seeds sent by her ladyship from Malta, where the plant has been cultivated for medicinal 
purposes about four years; and were it is considered as a new sort. And such indeed it appears to 
: for as a species, although it ly near to R. communis, R. inermis, and perhaps R. medicus 
of Forskall, = appears to bs Be ae distinct ; differing from the -former and latter, in its deeper 
cloven, and more numerously lobed, and glandular petioled leaves; and from R. inermis, in having 
its capsules thickly beset with considerable, but herbaceous spines; whence our specific name of 
armatus, in contradistinction also to R. inermis, which has smooth capsules. The plant from which 
our drawing was taken was eight feet high and very much branched ; and its ample yet elegant foliage, 
and red stalks and veins, communicated that kind of appearance to it which is often attributed to 
_ Asiatic plants—stately, and magnificent, Its root is biennial ; it requires the protection of the green- 
house, and can be increased very readily by seeds, which should be raised on a hot-bed in spring, 
and afterwards transplanted into very large pots, There were two glands at the top of the petioles. 
The valuable drug called castor oil is extracted from the seeds of this and other species of Ricinus. 
