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Storage Behaviour  1000 Seed Weight  Oil Content  Protein Content  Germination  Morphology  Literature Cited

APG Clade: EUDICOTS - CORE EUDICOTS - ROSIDS - EUROSIDS I
APG Order: Malpighiales
APG Family: EUPHORBIACEAE
Kew Family: EUPHORBIACEAE
Genus: Ricinus
Species Epithet: communis
Species Author: L.
Synonymns: Ricinus communis Nichols var. zanzibarensis; Ricinus communis Nichols. var. gibsonii; Ricinus commun
Common Name: castor bean
Life Form: nanophan. or phan.

Storage Behaviour

Storage Behaviour: Orthodox
Storage Conditions: >90% germination following 21 months storage at room temperature with 5-7% mc (Lago et al., 1979); seeds not damaged from exposure to liquid nitrogen (Stanwood & Bass, 1981; p50= 13.3 years for seeds stored under open storagein a temperate climate (Priestley, 1986)

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1000 Seed Weight

Average 1000 Seed Weight(g): 322.3
Details of Component Seed Weights:
  1. 450.0; (Cromarty et al., 1982); Seed; Mid-point of 1000 seed weight range 200-700g; seed mc not stated, but weight is likely to refer to air-dry seed.
  2. 329.3; (Felfoldi, 1980); Seed; Seed mc not stated, but weight is likely to refer to air-dry seed.
  3. 120.0; (Earle & Jones, 1962); Seed excluding seed-coat; Weight refers to seed with 28 % of its outer tissues removed; seed mc not stated, but weight is likely to refer to air-dry seed.
  4. 246.0; (Jones & Earle, 1966); Seed; Seed mc not stated, but weight is likely to refer to air-dry seed.
  5. 470.0; (Jones & Earle, 1966); Seed; Seed mc not stated, but weight is likely to refer to air-dry seed.
  6. 730.0; (Jones & Earle, 1966); Seed; Seed mc not stated, but weight is likely to refer to air-dry seed.
  7. 306.0; (Jones & Earle, 1966); Seed excluding seed-coat; Weight refers to seed with 27 % of its outer tissues removed; seed mc not stated, but weight is likely to refer to air-dry seed.
  8. 465.39; (RBG Kew, Wakehurst Place); Seed
  9. 520.72; (RBG Kew, Wakehurst Place); Seed
  10. 521.93; (RBG Kew, Wakehurst Place); Seed
  11. 229.93; (RBG Kew, Wakehurst Place); Seed
  12. 456.04; (RBG Kew, Wakehurst Place); Seed
  13. 334.65; (RBG Kew, Wakehurst Place); Seed
  14. 121.93; (RBG Kew, Wakehurst Place); Seed
  15. 125.58; (RBG Kew, Wakehurst Place); Seed
  16. 130.73; (RBG Kew, Wakehurst Place); Seed
  17. 160.77; (RBG Kew, Wakehurst Place); Seed
  18. 180.09; (RBG Kew, Wakehurst Place); Seed
  19. 224.89; (RBG Kew, Wakehurst Place); Seed
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Germination

  1. 75 % germination; pre-sowing treatments = seed scarified (chipped with scalpel); germination medium = 1 % Agar; germination conditions = 26 °C, 12/12; (RBG Kew, Wakehurst Place)
  2. 80 % germination; pre-sowing treatments = seed sterilised (immersed in 10 % domestos for 5 mins), seed scarified (chipped with scalpel); germination medium = 1 % Agar; germination conditions = 26 °C, 12/12; (RBG Kew, Wakehurst Place)
  3. 85 % germination; pre-sowing treatments = seed scarified (covering structure removed & seed coat then chipped); germination medium = 1 % Agar; germination conditions = 33/19 °C, 12/12; (RBG Kew, Wakehurst Place)
  4. 95 % germination; pre-sowing treatments = seed sterilised (immersed in 10 % domestos for 5 mins), seed scarified (chipped with scalpel); germination medium = 1 % Agar; germination conditions = 33/19 °C, 12/12; (RBG Kew, Wakehurst Place)
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Oil Content

Average of Oil Content (%): 52.71
Details of Component Oil Contents:
  1. 46.4; (Jones & Earle, 1966); Entire seed/nut; Moisture content not stated
  2. 67.3; (Jones & Earle, 1966); Entire seed/nut; Moisture content not stated
  3. 49.0; (Jones & Earle, 1966); Entire seed/nut; Moisture content not stated
  4. 50.6; (Jones & Earle, 1966); Entire seed/nut; Moisture content not stated
  5. 65.9; (Earle & Jones, 1962); Entire seed/nut; Moisture content not stated
  6. 47.5; (Eckey, 1954); Entire seed/nut; Dry weight basis; Mid-point of the range 40-55.
  7. 45.0; (Padley et al., 1994); Entire seed/nut; Moisture content not stated; Mid-point of the range 35-55. Typical oil content noted as 44.
  8. 50.0; (Vaughan, 1970); Entire seed/nut; Moisture content not stated
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Protein Content

Average of Protein Content (%): 21.95
Details of Component Protein Contents:
  1. 20.0; (Jones & Earle, 1966); Entire seed/nut; Moisture content not stated
  2. 18.0; (Vaughan, 1970); Entire seed/nut; Moisture content not stated
  3. 25.0; (Jones & Earle, 1966); Entire seed/nut; Moisture content not stated
  4. 20.6; (Jones & Earle, 1966); Entire seed/nut; Moisture content not stated
  5. 21.9; (Jones & Earle, 1966); Entire seed/nut; Moisture content not stated
  6. 26.2; (Earle & Jones, 1962); Entire seed/nut; Moisture content not stated
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Seed Morphology

(RBG Kew, Wakehurst Place; material provided by NCWCD, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.)

Fruit:

Fruit type: coccarium
Diaspore: seed
Mechanical protection of seed: seed coat
Fruit dehiscent: Yes
Remarks on the fruit: indehiscent in modern cultivars

Seed:

Seed size length (mm): 11.8 - 13.7 (13.2 - 15.9)
Seed size width (mm): 8.8 - 10.7
Seed size height (mm): 6.3 - 7.1
Remarks on seed size: length including caruncula in brackets
Seed colour: black mottled brown
Seed shape: oval in outline, dorsiventrally flattened
Sarcotesta: absent
Seed appendages: caruncula
Seed surface: smooth
Raphe: present
Hilum: small
Other specialised structures: none

Internal Morphology:

Seed configuration: anatropous
Embryo type: axial-spatulate
Relative size embryo: small (1/4 minus)
Perisperm present: no
Endosperm ruminate: No
Embryo colour: white

Images:  SS-VV  S-LS  S-CS  

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Literature Cited
  1. Cromarty, A.S., Ellis, R.H. and Roberts, E.H. 1982. The Design of Seed Storage Facilities for Genetic Conservation. Rome: International Board for Plant Genetic Resources.
  2. Lago, A.A., Zink, E., Razera, L.F., Banzatto, N.V. and Filho, A.S. 1979. Dormencia em sementes de tres cultivares de mamona. Bragantia, 38:41-44.
  3. Priestley, D.A. 1986. Seed Aging. Cornell University Press.
  4. Stanwood, P.C. and Bass, L.N. 1981. Seed germplasm preservation using liquid nitrogen. Seed Science and Technology, 9:423-437.
  5. Felfoldi, E. 1980. Seed Counts (Numbers of Seeds Per Unit Weight). Technical Report Series, 32. Government of Victoria, Department of Agriculture.
  6. Earle, F.R. and Jones, Q. 1962. Analyses of seed samples from 113 plant families. Economic Botany, 16:221-250.
  7. Jones, Q. and Earle, F.R. 1966. Chemical analyses of seeds II: oil and protein content of 759 species. Economic Botany, 20:127-155.
  8. RBG Kew, Wakehurst Place.
  9. Eckey, E.W. 1954. Vegetable fats and oils. American Chemical Society Monograph Series no. 123. Reinhold Publishing Corporation, New York.
  10. Padley, F.B., Gunstone, F.D. and Harwood, J.L. 1994. Occurrence and characteristics of oils and fats. In: The Lipid Handbook (2nd Edn.). (Ed. by F.D.Gunstone, J.L. Harwood and F.B. Padley), pp. 47-146.
  11. Vaughan, J.G. 1970. The Structure and Utilisation of Oil Seeds. Chapman and Hall Ltd., London.
  12. RBG Kew, Wakehurst Place; material provided by NCWCD, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
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