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Ricinus communis
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Family:
EUPHORBIACEAE
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Citation: Ricinus communis L., Sp. Pl. 1007. 1753; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 5: 457. 1887; Gamble, Fl. Pres. Madras 1335(933). 1925; Manilal & Sivar., Fl. Calicut 258. 1982; Mohanan, Fl. Quilon Dist. 372. 1984; Manilal, Fl. Silent Valley 254. 1988; Ramach. & V.J. Nair, Fl. Cannanore Dist. 426. 1988; Antony, Syst. Stud. Fl. Kottayam Dist. 368. 1989; Babu, Fl. Malappuram Dist. 736. 1990; Vajr., Fl. Palghat Dist. 440. 1990; M. Mohanan & Henry, Fl. Thiruvanthapuram 425. 1994; Subram., Fl. Thenmala Div. 346. 1995; Swarup. et al., Shola For. Kerala 49. 1998; Sivar. & Mathew, Fl. Nilambur 641. 1997; Sasidh., Fl. Periyar Tiger Reserve 380. 1998; Sasidh., Fl. Chinnar WLS 289. 1999; Sasidh., Fl. Parambikulam WLS 298. 2002; Anil Kumar et al., Fl. Pathanamthitta 455. 2005; N.P.Balakr. & Chakrab., Fam. Euphorbiaceae India 154. 2007; Sunil & Sivadasan, Fl. Alappuzha Dist. 650. 2009; Ratheesh Narayanan, Fl. Stud. Wayanad Dist. 753. 2009.
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Malayalam Name(s):
Amandam, Aavannakku, Chittavanakku, Erandam, Gandharvahastakam, Kottamaram
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Tamil name(s):
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English name(s):
Castor oil plant, Castorbean, Krapata, Palma christi, Ricin
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Description:
Monoecious, branched glaucous shrubs. Leaves alternate, palmately 6-8-lobed, peltate, to 20 x 24 cm; lobes 9-15 x 3-6 cm, lanceolate, margin coarsely serrate, apex acuminate; petiole to 18 cm long. Flowers in terminal paniculate racemes, pale yellow; male flowers below, female ones above. Male flowers: perianth cupular, 3-5-lobed, c. 4 mm long, lanceolate; stamens many, filaments connate, repeatedly branched. Female flowers: tepals 5, subequal, c. 5 mm long, lanceolate; ovary globose, 3-locular, echinate; ovule 1-per locule; styles 3, papillose. Capsule 1.6-2 cm across, 3-lobed, prickly. Seeds oblong, smooth, marbled, carunculate.
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Habit:
Shrub
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Flowering & Fruiting:
May-June
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District(s):
All Districts
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Medicinal:
Yes
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Habitat:
Cultivated, also runs wild
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Distribution:
Native of Tropical Africa; now cultivated throughout tropics
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Aquatic:
No
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Epiphyte(s):
No
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Saprophyte:
No
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Stem parasite:
No
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Root parasite:
No
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Flower colour(s):
Creamy, Yellow
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Weed:
No
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Monocot/Dicot:
Dicotyledonous Plants
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Exotic:
Yes
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Garden:
No
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Edible:
No
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Vegetable:
No
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Endemic to:
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IUCN status:
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Altitude:
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Localities:
Peechi, Chinnar, Thekkady, Rockpoint, Panthenthode border, Pandalam, Begur, Nellikuth, Kulathupuzha, Chennithala
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