Gold Coast
flora and fauna

A guide to the plants and animals that make our city one of the most biodiverse in Australia.
Phylum
CHAROPHYTA
Class
EQUISETOPSIDA
Family
EUPHORBIACEAE
Genus
Ricinus
Species
communis
Has fauna
False
Mapping

Common Name
Castor Oil Bush
Alternate name
Is historical
False
QLD
Naturalised
NSW
EPBC
APC
ROTAP
Comment
LGA significant
False
Stronghold population
False
Wildnet record
False
Museum listing
False
Introduced
True
Qld Census
False
Regionally significant/rationale
False
Restricted distribution/rationale
False
Abundance
Historical abundance
Endemicity
Overall distribution
Local distribution
Known location
Other locality
Riparian dependent
False
Wetland dependent
False
Forest dependent
False
Hollow dependent
False
Terrestrial
True
Estuarine
False
Marine
False
General ecology
Specific ecology
Habitat
Rainforest
Habitat comment
Threats
Management
Community type
Migratory
False
Migration notes
Feeding status
Feeding strategy
Feeding substrate
Diet
Reproduction
Breeding season
Active period
Active season
Social group
Behaviour
Range
Can occur in high densities along creeks and floodplains.
Biology
Growth form
Shrub
Description
Perennial shrub to 5m. Stout hollow branches are dull, pale green or red turning greyish with age. Large leaves (to 60cm across) grow on long, stout, hollow stalks attached off-centre to bottom of leaf. Leaves divided into 7–9 pointed triangular segments with toothed edges and conspicuous veins. Leaves glossy, dark reddish-green when young, glossy green when mature. Fruits, to about 2.5cm diameter, are spiny, exploding, when ripe, to throw seeds several metres. Seeds are toxic to humans and animals.
Taxonomy Comments
Species comments
Citations