Scientific name: Ricinus communis
Common name(s): Castor Bean
Name as shown in Phylogenes: Castor Bean
Ploidy: Diploid
Description:
Ricinus communis (castor bean) is an oilseed crop that belongs to the Euphorbiaceae family, which includes important crops such as cassava (Manihot esculenta), rubber tree (Hevea brasiliensis) and physic nut (Jatropha curcas).
It is primarily grown for the seed oil, which is used for the production of high-quality lubricants. Castor bean seeds are also is the source of the toxin ricin, and thus is an important species from a biosecurity perspective.
Reference(s):
Chan AP, et al. Draft genome sequence of the oilseed species Ricinus communis. Nat Biotechnol. 2010 Sep;28(9):951-6. doi: 10.1038/nbt.1674.
Genome Database(s):
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