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Ricinus communis is a shrub of the Euphorbiaceae family, within the division of angiosperms.
Flowers are bisexual and they spring up into large inflorescences which are terminal panicles with a length between 15 and 50 cm.
Male flowers (born under the female ones) have a diameter of between 15 and 30 cm, with a calyx of five pieces.
Male tepals are oval and reddish, while the female flowers are lanceolate
It flowers mainly in summer months, from July to October and the harvest is in fall.
Leaves have a palmate venation and toothed margin.
The shape of these is sparse, with between 7 and 11 lobes.
It has alterned compound leaves, which can be green, red or purple, and also has numerous glandular cells in the epidermis of the obverse.
The compound leaves are pretty large, they mesure from 10cm to 35 cm in diameter, they have a long petiole.
Castor oil is obtained from this bush seeds.
Those seeds have the appearance of a tick, hence the species name. (Ricinus = Tick) (Ricinus = Tick)
Used as a laxative in small doses as a purgative in larger doses.
Its seeds are toxic due to ricin.
The fruit is divided into several sincarpic locules, which when opened in maturity, explosively launches seeds to a certain distance.