Ricinus communis L.
var. communis

Selected images: Click on each image to see a larger version and details of the record View all images (28)

Photo: Bart Wursten
Rd to Domboshawa, Chinamora CL

Photo: Bart Wursten
Hot Springs, Save Valley

Photo: Bart Wursten
Rd to Domboshawa, Chinamora CL

Photo: Bart Wursten
Chitengo Camp, Gorongosa National Park

Photo: Sune Holt
Vilankulo, Inhambane, Mozambique

Photo: Bart Wursten
Main road from Thazima Gate, Nyika National Park

Photo: Bart Wursten
Hysteria Lane, Area 3, Lilongwe

Photo: Petra Ballings
B8 to Ngoma, Bukalo

Photo: Bart Wursten
B8 to Ngoma, Bukalo

Photo: Bart Wursten
D3508 Kalimbeza rd

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Species details: Click on each item to see an explanation of that item (Note: opens a new window)

Synonyms:
Common names:	Castor-oil plant (English)
Frequency:
Status:	Introduced
Description:	Robust, hairless annual or perennial herb, shrub or even small tree. Stipules united to form a sheath. Leaves alternate, peltate, palmately-lobed, the lobes with glandular teeth. Inflorescences paniculate; flowers unisexual in the same inflorescence; male flowers in lower half, female in upper. Male flowers with pedicels jointed, with 2 bracteoles; calyx with 3-5 lobes; petals and disk absent; stamens numerous. Female flowers with pedicels elongating in fruit; sepals 5; petals and disk absent; ovary 3-locular, each with one ovule; styles 3, dark red. Fruit 3-lobed, smooth or covered in spiny bristles, splitting into three 2-valved parts. Seeds smooth, mottled.
Type location:
Notes:
Derivation of specific name:
Habitat:	Cultivated and commonly naturalised, occurring in disturbed places, sandy river beds, forest edges and riverine vegetation.
Altitude range: (metres)
Flowering time:
Worldwide distribution:	Native of NE tropical Africa. Well naturalised throughout the tropics, subtropics and even temperate zones.
FZ divisions:	N,SW,SE
Growth form(s):	Tree, annual, perennial, shrub over 2 m, shrub under 2 m.
Endemic status:
Red data list status:
Insects associated with this species:	Achaea catella (Larval food plant) Micraphe lateritia (Larval foodplant) Eurytela dryope angulata (Larval foodplant)
Spot characters:	Display spot characters for this species
Literature:	Baumann, G. (2005). Photographic Guide to Wildflowers of Malawi Wildlife and Environmental Society of Malawi Pages 72 - 73. (Includes a picture). Burrows, J.E. & Willis, C.K. (eds) (2005). Plants of the Nyika Plateau Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 31 SABONET, Pretoria Page 149. (Includes a picture). Burrows, J.E., Burrows, S.M., Lötter, M.C. & Schmidt, E. (2018). Trees and Shrubs Mozambique Publishing Print Matters (Pty), Cape Town. Page 466. As Ricinus communis (Includes a picture). Curtis, B.A. & Mannheimer, C.A. (2005). Tree Atlas of Namibia National Botanic Research Institute, Windhoek Page 638. Drummond, R.B. (1975). A list of trees, shrubs and woody climbers indigenous or naturalised in Rhodesia. Kirkia 10(1) Page 252. As Ricinus communis Heath, A. & Heath, R. (2009). Field Guide to the Plants of Northern Botswana including the Okavango Delta Kew Publishing Page 127. (Includes a picture). Mabberley, D.J. (1997). The Plant-Book. 2nd edition. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge Page 618. Mapaura, A. & Timberlake, J. (eds) (2004). A checklist of Zimbabwean vascular plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 33 Sabonet, Pretoria and Harare Page 41. Parker, T. (2023). Common Trees of Mozambique The Tree Press, Austin, Texas, USA Pages 152 - 153. (Includes a picture). Pickering, H. & Roe, E. (2009). Wild Flowers of the Victoria Falls Area Helen Pickering, London Page 63. (Includes a picture). Radcliffe-Smith, A. (1996). Euphorbiaceae Flora Zambesiaca 9(4) Pages 157 - 159. (Includes a picture). Schmidt, E., Lötter, M. & McCleland, W. (2002). Trees and shrubs of Mpumalanga and Kruger National Park Jacana, Johannesburg, South Africa Pages 294 - 295. as Ricinus communis (Includes a picture). Setshogo, M.P. (2005). Preliminary checklist of the plants of Botswana. Sabonet Report no. 37. Sabonet, Pretoria and Gaborone Page 58. as Ricinus communis Timberlake, J.R. & Childes, S.L. (2004). Biodiversity of the Four Corners Area: Technical Reviews Volume Two (Chapter 5-15) Appendix 5-1: Plant Checklist Occasional Publications in Biodiversity 15 Page 208. Wild, H. (1955). Common Rhodesian Weeds Government of Rhodesia, Salisbury Page 49. as Ricinus communis (Includes a picture).

Other sources of information about Ricinus communis var. communis:

Our websites:

Flora of Botswana: cultivated Ricinus communis var. communis
Flora of Caprivi: Ricinus communis var. communis
Flora of Caprivi: cultivated Ricinus communis var. communis
Flora of Malawi: Ricinus communis var. communis
Flora of Malawi: cultivated Ricinus communis var. communis
Flora of Mozambique: Ricinus communis var. communis
Flora of Mozambique: cultivated Ricinus communis var. communis
Flora of Zambia: Ricinus communis var. communis
Flora of Zambia: cultivated Ricinus communis var. communis
Flora of Zimbabwe: Ricinus communis var. communis
Flora of Zimbabwe: cultivated Ricinus communis var. communis

External websites:

African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Ricinus communis
African Plant Database: Ricinus communis
BHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library): Ricinus communis
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Ricinus communis
GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility): Ricinus communis
Google: Web - Images - Scholar
iNaturalist: Ricinus communis
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Ricinus communis
JSTOR Plant Science: Ricinus communis
Mansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: Ricinus communis
Plants of the World Online: Ricinus communis
Tropicos: Ricinus communis
Wikipedia: Ricinus communis

Ricinus communis L. var. communis