|
Ricinus commuis |
|
|
Trees and Shrubs of Kern County (Jan 2013) *Ricinus communis Linnaeus 1753. Castor bean. Tall shrub, or mostly herbaceous; stems erect, sparingly branched, with large alternate leaves digitately and deeply divided into 5–11 marginally toothed leaflets on long red leaf stalks (petioles); flowers in branched clusters along a terminal axis, males below female flowers or surrounding a central female flower, the 3-parted styles most conspicuous by the reddish plumes. Seeds contain ricin, an extremely poisonous compound, especially if seeds are chewed. Native to the southeastern Mediterranean Basin, Eastern Africa, and India. Reported by Twisselmann as spontaneous in the valley and well established as a stream bank plant in lower Kern Canyon.
|
|
