Oil-crop
Guides
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.