Medicinal-plant
Guides
Bellardia
trixago bartsia, Mediterranean lineseed
Bellardia is a monotypic genus of flowering plants in the family Orobanchaceae, containing only Bellardia trixago. This facultative hemiparasitic herb is native to the Mediterranean Basin but has been introduced to California and Chile, where it is considered a noxious weed. The species has been reclassified from Scrophulariaceae to Orobanchaceae based on phylogenetic studies. Its flowers are ethnobotanically consumed as food, and the plant has been investigated for pharmacological properties including antioxidant, antimicrobial, and cytotoxic activities.
Lasia
Lasia is a small genus of flowering plants in the arum family (Araceae) comprising two accepted species: Lasia spinosa and Lasia concinna. The genus was long considered monotypic until the rediscovery of L. concinna in 1997 in West Kalimantan, Indonesia, where it was being cultivated for its edible young leaves. Both species are native to humid tropical and subtropical regions of Asia and New Guinea, with L. spinosa having the broader distribution across South and Southeast Asia.
Ricinus
Castor Beans, Castor Oil Plant, Castor Bean, Higuerilla, Mamona
Ricinus is a monotypic genus of flowering plants in the spurge family Euphorbiaceae, containing the single species Ricinus communis. This fast-growing perennial shrub or small tree is native to the southeastern Mediterranean Basin, East Africa, and India, but has become widespread throughout tropical and subtropical regions worldwide. The plant is economically significant as the source of castor oil, extracted from seeds that contain 40–60% oil rich in ricinoleic acid. All plant parts contain ricin, a highly potent water-soluble toxin that makes the seeds especially dangerous if ingested. The species exhibits remarkable morphological variability, with cultivars developed for both ornamental purposes and commercial oil production.