Verenda or Castor bean, Ricinus communis

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Verenda or Castor bean (Ricinus communis, family: Euphorbiaceae) is an evergreen large shrub that reaches 5 meters tall. This fast growing plant is native to Northeastern Africa and the Middle East and become naturalized almost everywhere─in tropical or subtropical area of the world.  

Common Names: Shobuj bherenda, Castor bean, Castor oil plant. 


Fruit is a capsule, egg-shaped, 3 cm long, covered with soft spines. Fruit bears three poisonous seeds.


Leaves are green, finger-like lobed, ends are narrow. 


Edible oil is extracted from seeds. Cotyledon is highly purgative and emetic.


The plant produces flowers from March to August. Brancy inflorescence bears small greenish flowers.


Propagation of the plant is caused by seeds. It is grown in waste places or homestead for the seeds.
Ricinus communis grows in waste places, fallow fields, along road shoulders and at the edges of cultivated lands in Bangladesh.

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