castor-oil plant

cas·tor-oil plant

C0149900 (kăs′tər-oil′)n. A poisonous, ornamental shrub (Ricinus communis) native to Africa, having palmately lobed leaves and widely cultivated for its seeds, which yield an oil of commercial and medicinal value.

castor-oil plant

n (Plants) a tall euphorbiaceous Indian plant, Ricinus communis, cultivated in tropical regions for ornament and for its poisonous seeds, from which castor oil is extracted. Also called (US and Canadian): castor bean

cas′tor-oil′ plant`

a tall plant, Ricinus communis, of the spurge family, cultivated for its ornamental foliage and poisonous seeds that yield castor oil. Also called castor bean. [1835–45]

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

castor-oil plant - 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 tropicscastor bean plant, palma christ, palma christi, Ricinus communiscastor bean - the toxic seed of the castor-oil plant; source of castor oilgenus Ricinus, Ricinus - a genus of herb having only one known species: castor-oil plantbush, shrub - a low woody perennial plant usually having several major stems