Linnaeus, C. (1 May 1753), Species Plantarum 2: 1007 [tax. nov.]

• Type: Ricinus communis L.

Linnaeus, C. (1754), Genera Plantarum Edn. 5: 437 [secondary reference]

• Type: Ricinus communis L.

Steudel, E.G. von (November 1840), Nomenclator Botanicus Edn. 2, 1(5-6): 538 [secondary reference]

taxonomic synonym: Echinosphaera Steud. nom. inval., pro syn.

Bennett, G. (1860), Gatherings of a Naturalist in Australasia: 332 [secondary reference]

Bailey, F.M. (1913), Comprehensive Catalogue of Queensland Plants: 480 [secondary reference]

Black, J.M. (1924), Casuarinaceae - Euphorbiaceae. Flora of South Australia 2: 352 [secondary reference]

• Etymology: Latin name of this plant, because of the resemblance of the seed to the ricinus or sheep tick.

Black, J.M. (January 1948), Casuarinaceae-Euphorbiaceae. Flora of South Australia Edn. 2, 2: 513 [secondary reference]

• Etymology: "Latin name of this plant, because of the resemblance of the seed to the ricinus or sheep tick."

Beadle, N.C.W., Evans, O.D. & Carolin, R.C. (1962), Handbook of the Vascular Plants of the Sydney District and Blue Mountains: 214 [secondary reference]

Airy Shaw, H.K. (November 1980), A partial synopsis of the Euphorbiaceae - Platylobeae of Australia (excluding Phyllanthus, Euphorbia and Calycopeplus). Kew Bulletin 35(3): 667 [secondary reference]

Cronquist, A.J. (1981), An Integrated System of Classification of Flowering Plants: 739 [secondary reference]

Jacobs, S.W.L. & Pickard, J. (1981), Plants of New South Wales: 117 [secondary reference]

Kalotas, A. in Jessop, J.P. (ed.) (1981), Ricinus, Adriana. Flora of Central Australia: 188 [secondary reference]

Stanley, T.D. in Stanley, T.D. & Ross, E.M. (1984), Euphorbiaceae. Flora of South-eastern Queensland 1: 437-438 [secondary reference]

Wheeler, J.R. in Marchant, N.G., Wheeler, J.R., Rye, B.L., Bennett, E.M., Lander, N.S. & Macfarlane, T.D. (1987), Euphorbiaceae. Flora of the Perth Region 1: 454 [secondary reference]

James, T.A. & Harden, G.J. in Harden, G.J. (ed.) (1990), Euphorbiaceae. Flora of New South Wales 1: 405-406 [secondary reference]

Du Puy, D.J. & Telford, I.R.H. (1993), Euphorbiaceae. Flora of Australia 50: 273-274 [secondary reference]

Jeanes, J.A. in Walsh, N.G. & Entwisle, T.J. (ed.) (1999), Euphorbiaceae. Flora of Victoria 4: 79 [secondary reference]

James, T.A. & Harden, G.J. in Harden, G.J. (ed.) (2000), Euphorbiaceae. Flora of New South Wales Revised Edition 1: 405-406 [secondary reference]

Mabberley, D.J. (1 May 2008), Mabberley's Plant-Book Edn. 3: 742 [secondary reference]

Council of Heads of Australasian Herbaria (2009), Australian Plant Census: - APC [secondary reference]

taxonomic synonym: Echinosphaera Steud. nom. inval., pro syn.

• APC Dist.: WA (naturalised), CoI (naturalised), ChI (naturalised), NT (naturalised), SA (naturalised), Qld (naturalised), NSW (naturalised), LHI (naturalised), NI (naturalised), Vic (naturalised)

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