Euphorbiaceae Week: Jatropha curcas from Delhi

[Gurcharan Singh]

Jatropha curcas L., Sp. pl. 2:1006. "Gurcas"; 2: errata. 1753 

syn: Curcas curcas (L.) Britton & Millsp. [Invalid] 

       Curcas indica A. Rich.

The seeds yield curcas oil, a powerful pugative also used in maling candles, soaps and varnishes and used for burning, as it does not produce any soot, can be processed to produce a high-quality biodiesel fuel, usable in a standard diesel engine. The seeds are also a source of the highly poisonous toxalbumin curcin.

Common names: Barbados-nut, bubble-bush, physicnut, purgenut, purgingnut

Hindi: Jangli arandi, safed arand

Guj: Ratanjota

--
Dr. Gurcharan Singh
Retired  Associate Professor
SGTB Khalsa College, University of Delhi, Delhi-110007
Res: 932 Anand Kunj, Vikas Puri, New Delhi-110018.
Phone: 011-25518297  Mob: 9810359089
http://people.du.ac.in/~singhg45/