Ricinus communis aka Castor Oil Plant

Ricinus communis, also known as the castor bean or castor oil plant, is a unique and fascinating plant species that belongs to the spurge family, Euphorbiaceae. It is the only member of the monotypic genus, Ricinus, and subtribe, Ricininae, and is native to the southeastern Mediterranean Basin, Eastern Africa, and India. Although it is widely grown as an ornamental plant, it is also a highly toxic plant that can cause death in humans, livestock, and pets if broken seeds are ingested. The castor bean plant has oversized, tropical-looking leaves and bizarre seed pods that make it a popular addition to ornamental gardens. Its seeds, which are rich in triglycerides, mainly ricinolein, are the source of castor oil, a versatile oil with a wide variety of uses. However, the plant also contains ricin, a highly potent water-soluble toxin, which is present in lower concentrations throughout the plant. Castor bean plants reproduce with a mixed pollination system that favors selfing by geitonogamy, but they can also be out-crossers by anemophily (wind pollination) or entomophily (insect pollination). Castor bean plants are typically found in moist, well-drained soils in disturbed areas, such as along river beds and roadsides, and in fallow fields or at the edges of cultivated lands. While the plant known as "false castor oil plant", Fatsia japonica, is not closely related, it is sometimes confused with the castor bean plant due to its similar name.