Source:
SSA
Description:
Large annual or perenial herbs, often attaining tree proportions; monoecious. Leaves alternate, petiolate, peltate, palmately lobed, lobes glandular-serrate; petioles adaxially glandular near base; stipules present, united to form a sheath, caducous. Inflorescences leaf-opposed or subterminal, paniculate; male flowers in tight clusters in lower half; female flowers in open clusters in upper half, or rarely all female. Petals 0. Disc 0. Male flowers pedicellate; calyx membranous, splitting into 3-5 valvate lobes; stamens up to 1000; filaments variously united to form much-branched structures. Female flowers pedicellate; sepals 5, valvate, caducous; ovary 3-locular, with 1 ovule per locule; styles 3, +/- free or connate at base, bipartite. Fruit 3-lobed, echinate or rarely smooth, dehiscing into 3 bivalved cocci; spines (if present) accrescent; endocarp crustaceous or thinly woody; columella persistent, 3-winged. Seeds sometimes dorsiventrally compressed-ovoid, smooth, carunculate, usually marmorate; testa crustaceous; albumen fleshy; cotyledons broad, flat. x = 5.
Distribution:
Monotypic, originally native to NE Africa, *Ricinus communis L., Castor Oil, cultivated in warm parts, mainly in Northern Province, often occurs as an escape.
Classification:
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