My castor bean looks really pitiful next to Lindas.
The castor oil plant, Ricinus communis, is a species of flowering plant in the spurge family, Euphorbiaceae.
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 coat 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,
Castor seeds have been found in Egyptian tombs dating back to 4000 BC being used mostly to fuel lamps because of the slow burning oil. Herodotus