Log in to Webshots

Login

Toxic Castor Bean Plant (Ricinus communis) in La Trinidad Valley

maryan54 > albums > Flowers of Baguio (2)

Get Adobe Flash player

Connect with Facebook to Continue

Hello, facebook user. logout

You are signed in to your Facebook account. Share this photo by posting it on your wall, or by choosing a friend below and posting it on their wall. (one friend at a time)

Album Info:

(DSC07748) Thank you, Dave (dwdiffenderfer), for identifying this unusual plant for me. What struck me were the green flowers! As it turns out those are not green flowers but green pods with soft spines, and these pods contain the castor beans from where castor oil is derived. Here's what Wikipedia says about this most toxic plant around: "The castor oil plant, Ricinus communis, is a species of flowering plant in the spurge family, Euphorbiaceae. Its seed is the castor bean which, despite its name, is not a true bean. Castor is indigenous to the southeastern Mediterranean Basin, Eastern Africa, and India, but is widespread throughout tropical regions (and widely grown elsewhere as an ornamental plant). Castor seed is the source of castor oil, which has a wide variety of uses. The seeds contain between 40% and 60% oil that is rich in triglycerides, mainly ricinolein. The seed contains ricin, a toxin, which is also present in lower concentrations throughout the plant. The toxicity of raw castor beans due to the presence of ricin is well-known. Although the lethal dose in adults is considered to be 4 to 8 seeds, reports of actual poisoning are relatively rare. According to the 2007 edition of the Guinness Book of World Records, this plant is the most poisonous in the world. If ingested, symptoms may be delayed by up to 36 hours but commonly begin within 2–4 hours. These include a burning sensation in mouth and throat, abdominal pain, purging and bloody diarrhea. Within several days there is severe dehydration, a drop in blood pressure and a decrease in urine. Unless treated, death can be expected to occur within 3–5 days, however in most cases a full recovery can be made. The toxin provides the castor oil plant with some degree of natural protection from insect pests, such as aphids. In fact, ricin has been investigated for its potential use as an insecticide. The castor oil plant is also the source for undecylenic acid, a natural fungicide." (Taken from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castor_oil_ plant)

Sample Email

Below is what we'll send to your friends to invite them - edit or remove the optional note.

No comments so far...

To be able to leave a comment please Log in or Sign up.