Common ricinus

The common ricinus ( Ricinus communis ) is a Arbrisseau of the family of the Euphorbiacée S of tropical origin. It is the source of the Castor oil, which has various applications and of the Ricine, a poison.

Origin

It is originating in tropical Africa, it was spread a little everywhere in the world, where the climate allowed it. One also finds it under subtropical climates, but also under the moderate climates.

Description

The generic name Ricinus means “Tique” in Latin: the seed is called thus because of its aspect.

The ricinus is appeared as a plant herbaceous or arborescent, annual or long-lived according to the climatic conditions of the area. Its height would be from 2 to 3 meters in France. (up to 10 meters in its country of origin)

Sheets: They are carried by long stems, are palmatilobate (5 to 12 lobes) and their edge is cogged. They are also green and red, webbed, verticillate and null and void. Certain decorative varieties have sheets whose lower face and the petiole are coloured in red.

Flowers: They are gathered in bunches, flowering takes place in summer. the fruits are roughcast tricoques capsules of points (sometimes absent). The seed is luisante, marbled of red or of brown, it presents a projecting line on the ventral face. It contains between 40 and 60% of oil rich in Triglycérides, mainly the Ricinoléine.

Composition: the totality of the plant seems toxic because of the presence of a glycoproteic lectine: the ricine. The concentration in ricine is maximum in the seeds which in addition contain proteins, water and lipids. These seeds are rich in an oil which owes its purgative properties with the presence of the ricinoleic acid. The oil yield of the Ricinus is of 1200 to 2000 liters with the hectare and per annum (Madagascar).

Culture

Its foliage crimson, its fruits bright red and its fast development make this plant a sure value for the development of your solid masses in background or from of isolated. Its culture is really easy, it is necessary however to take care to make a good contribution of organic soil conditioner in spring and to modify the structure of the ground if this one is little draining (stream sand, pozzolana…)

Ground: average, rich, drained well, fresh, neutral pH.

Exposure: Sun or semi-shade.

Multiplication: sowing in April with 20°C (soak the seeds 24:00 in water as a preliminary).

Toxicity

The castor oil contains ricinoleic acid which deteriorates the intestinal mucous membrane and causes important losses out of water and electrolytes (rock salt), from where its intense and irritating purgative action. The ricine, present in the plant and seeds is a frightening toxin.

The seeds and the hulls of ricinus contain toxic products, the main thing being a protein, the ricine. They also contain an allergen more difficult to make inactive than the ricine and being able to cause an over-sensitiveness at the human ones in contact with this product. This allergen seems not very harmful for the animals. The passage to the autoclave of the flour during 15 minutes at 125 C destroys the Ricine.

Seed the ingestion, often accidental in the young children, can cause serious intoxications (because of the presence of ricine) requiring a hospital assumption of responsibility imperatively. One considers that three seeds can be fatal with a child, four seeds can determine a serious intoxication in the adult and six to eight seeds could be to him fatal.

These figures are however to moderate, the seriousness of will depend on the individual sensitivity of each one to the ricine, moreover, according to whether the seeds are mastiquées or not, the seriousness of will not be the same one. In all the cases, when poisoned are dealt with in time in hospital medium, the exit of the intoxication is almost always favorable.

In certain countries one already announced the use of castor seeds to criminal ends. Sometimes, the castor seeds can find frays with cereals accidentally, thus causing intoxications.

Use

The ricinus is cultivated in many countries (China, Brésil, India, etc). The castor oil is obtained starting from seeds by cold pressure, it is purgative powerful, very irritant of which the use is to be proscribed absolutely.

Oil has very interesting lubricating properties in addition that one uses in industry, but is also used it to manufacture paintings, the surfactant ones,…

It is also used as raw material to prepare the undecylenic acid which is a fungicide used of external use. One also employs it like solvent for injectable preparations, but it can induce serious anaphylactic reactions. Lastly, one formerly employed it like fuel for lighting. In certain countries one consumes roasted seeds.

oil is used in industry like Lubrifiant.

It was used for a long time to lubricate the engines of racing racing cars and the Moteur S two times in particular of reduced models, its use is caratérisée by a very strong and single odor.
It is also used in the manufacture of a plastic of the family of the Polyamide S with the particular characteristic the Rilsan

In pharmacy, this oil is used for its effects Laxatif S and anesthetic.
In horticulture, the oil cake of ricinus is used like organic manure and repulsive against the rodents.

Its place is ideal in the middle of a solid mass or in isolated background. It is original by its thorny red fruits which will give large seeds and by its large webbed sheets. As of August you will be able to collect seeds to sow them the following year because the ricinus will not spend the winter in the areas north.

Production

See too

Trade-guild (botanical)

External references

External bonds

the ricinus: a capsule
the Ricinus on aujardin.info
Ricinus communis
a talk on the ricinus
Ricinus communis L.EUPHORBIACEAE
Seed of Ricinus communis '' Carmencita '' Aleurone, crystalloids and globules

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