| Antigua
Flora: |
CASTOR BEAN,
Family:
Ricinus communis
Probably
everyone at one time in their life has had the rather
unpleasant experience of taking castor oil. Attempting
to disguise the disagreeable taste with peppermint or
fruit juice often results in a permanent dislike for the
flavor enhancer as well as the castor oil. Although it
is native to the Ethiopian region of tropical east
Africa,
the castor bean or castor plant (Ricinus communis)
has become naturalized in tropical and warm temperate
regions throughout the world. Castor plants are very
common on open newly developed, and overgrazed land, and
just about any hot area where the soil is well drained
and with sufficient nutrients and moisture to sustain
the vigorous growth.
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Photos by Peter Duce |
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Although the seeds or beans are extremely poisonous, they are
the source of numerous economically important products and are
one of earliest commercial products. Castor beans have been
found in ancient Egyptian tombs dating back to 4000 B.C., and
the oil was used thousands of years ago in wick lamps for
lighting. To many people the castor plant is just an overgrown,
undesirable weed, and yet it produces one of nature's finest
natural oils. Click Here for more Antigua
Flora
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