large shrub of tropical Africa and Asia having large palmate leaves and spiny capsules containing seeds that are the source of castor oil and ricin; widely naturalized throughout the tropics
Large plant (Ricinus communis) of the spurge family, probably native to Africa and naturalized throughout the tropics. It is grown commercially for the pharmaceutical and industrial uses of its oil and for use in landscape gardening because of its handsome, giant, fanlike leaves. The bristly, spined, bronze-to-red clusters of fruits are attractive but are often removed before they mature because of the poison concentrated in their mottled, beanlike seeds. There are hundreds of natural forms and many horticultural varieties of this species
(Ricinus communis) A pale-coloured oil extracted from castor oil beans, the seeds of the castor-oil plant The shrub is a flowering plant up to 12 m high, native to tropical Africa and Asia It is cultivated widely, in the tropics for its seeds, from which castor oil is extracted, and in temperate regions as an ornamental shrub (seldom taller than 2 m) The oil, when used in cosmetics, acts as a humectant; it attracts and retains moisture to the skin It is also a thickener and an emollient Medically, it is used as a laxative and industrially it is used as a drying oil in paints and varnishes
Castor oil is a thick yellow oil that is obtained from the seeds of the castor oil plant. It has a very unpleasant taste and in former times was used as a medicine. A colorless or pale yellowish oil extracted from the seeds of the castor-oil plant, used pharmaceutically as a laxative and skin softener and industrially as a lubricant. a thick oil made from the seeds of a plant and used in the past as a medicine to make the bowels empty (Probably from castor (16-19 centuries), from castor (14-19 centuries), from , from kastor; because castor oil was once used instead of castor in medicines)
Rich in fatty acids and lubricating to the skin High percentage of ricinoleic acid leads to high viscosity Acts as an humectant Great in combination with other oils in soap
Castor Oil is a generic term for bottles containing this substance commonly used in the belief that it could cure a number of maladies at the turn of the century They are the most commonly found blue bottles and castor oil was packaged in the distinctive long necked bottles up until 1930 Many "older" citizens can remember having had castor oil forced into them during their formative years! Click to enlarge
This soothing and lubricating ingredient is a colorless or light yellow oil extracted from the seeds of the castor-oil plant A large plant native to tropical Africa and Asia, the castor-oil plant is also grown for its ornamental value Used for its fine-quality lubricating properties, it can also act as a cathartic when taken internally