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24. Ricinus communis Linn. Sp. PI. 1007. 1753. (Fig. 214).
EUPHORB1ACEAE
Ricinus inermis Jacq.—Ricinus lividus Jacq.—Ricinus speciosus Burm.—Ricinus spectabiiis Bl.—
Ricinus viridis Willd.—Ricinus laevis DC.—Ricinus ajricanus Mill.—Croton spinosus Linn.
Engl. Castor-oil Plant; Sinh. Erandu, Tel-erandu; Tarn. Aimugi, Amanakku,
Andagam, Asaram, Attagam, Attamanam, Attugam, Erandam, Kottai, Koitaimuttu, Muttukottai,
Peramanakku, Sanju, Sasambari, Sigandi, Sittaman, Sittamanakku, Sittiram, Tabinjam,
Urppulam, Vattaman; Hindi Arand, Arandi, Arcnd, Erand. Erandi, Erend, Ind, Rand; Sans.
Amanda, Amangala, Bhanda, Chankuka, Chitrabija, Chitraka, Dirghadantaka, Eranda,
Gandharvahasta, Gandharvahastaka, Ishta, Kanta, Panchangula, Panjangula, Ruvuka, Shukla,
Shulashatru, Svehaprada, Taruna, Triputi, Triputiphala, Tuchhadru, Vardhamana, Vatari,
Vranaha, Vuka, Vyadatvaka, Vyaghradala, Vyaghrapuchha.
A very variable plant both in habit and appearance; annual or perennial, 3.5—13.5 m
tall, stems hollow, smooth, cylindrical, glaucous; leaves simple, alternate, on long curved,
cylindrical, purplish or green petioles, sub-peitate, drooping; stipules large, ovate, green
or yellowish, united into a cap enclosing the buds, deciduous; lamina 15—48 cm across, palmately
cut for } of its depth into 7—11 lanceolate, acute, coarsely serrate segments, smooth, blue-green,
paler beneath; flowers monoecious, large, arranged on the thick rachis of an oblong, spicate
panicle, which is at first terminal but becomes lateral by the growth of an axillary bud beneathit;
male flowers stalked on branched peduncles at the base of the panicle or in groups with female
flowers about the middle of the inflorescence, pedicels articulate about the middle "or lower;
female flowers in groups in the upper part or at apices of male inflorescences towards the middle
of the panicle, bracts broadly triangular; male flowers: calyx deeply cut into 3—5 smooth,
broadly ovate, pointed segments, valvate in aestivation, petals none, stamens many, irregularly
combined into much branched, compound stamens inserted on the raised centre of the receptacle,
anthers small, 2-celled, dehiscing longitudinally; female flowers: calyx as in the male, glaucous
green but more deeply cut with segments narrower, more acute and erect, petals none, ovary
shorter than the calyx, superior, globular-trigonous with the blunt angles bearing several lines
of large, soft, erect, finger-shaped prominences each tipped with a transparent spiny bristle,
3-locular with a single ovule attached to the top of the axis in each chamber, style very deeply
divided into 3 long, flattened branches each split into two, the inner surface covered with papillae,
bright carmine-red; fruit a blunt, greenish, deeply grooved, tricoccus capsule about 2 cm long,
with the prominences of the ovary becoming sharp, weak, spreading spines, dehiscing longitudinally
and septicidally into 6 valves; seeds ovoid, flattened, 0.8—1.2 cm long, 0.6 cm broad, smooth,
shining, pinkish-grey, prettily mottled with dark brown, caruncle large, subglobular, raphe
faintly raised running down the centre of the ventral surface, albuminous.
Illustrations. Bentley and Trimen, Med. Plants, pi. 237. 1880; Burmann, Fl. Indica, pi. 62,
Jig. 2. 1768: Kirtikar and Basu, Indian Med. Plants, pi. 878. 1933; Herb. Peradeniya, drawing.
Distribution. Castor-oil plant is probably of African origin, now naturalized and cultivated
near habitations in all tropical countries. It is cultivated commercially in India, Italy,
etc. In Ceylon, it grows in village gardens.
Ceylon. Drieberg, July 1913; Baker 127, June 1907. Maldive Islands. Minikoi, Gardiner 6,
1899; Horsburgh Atoll, Gardiner, 1899—1900; Oidi 143,1896. Laccadive Islands. Specimen
without collector's name, 1891.
Composition. The seeds contain a high proportion of fixed oil, an active principle ricin
and an alkaloid ricinine. Ricinine is also found in the leaves and appears to be non-toxic.
The seed also yields riboflavin, nicotinic acid, lipase and uric acid.
Uses. Castor oil is used commercially on a large scale as a lubricant for internal combustion
engines particularly aero-engines, manufacture of turkey-red oil for the dyeing industry,
in the leather industry and for making varnishes, etc.
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