'Palma Christi' definitions:
Definition of 'palma christi'
From: WordNet
noun
Large shrub of tropical Africa and Asia having large palmate leaves and spiny capsules containing seeds that are the source of castor oil and ricin; widely naturalized throughout the tropics [syn: castor-oil plant, castor bean plant, palma christi, palma christ, Ricinus communis]
Definition of 'Palma Christi'
From: GCIDE
- Palmic \Pal"mic\, a. [Cf. F. palmique.] (Chem.) Of, pertaining to, or derived from, the castor-oil plant (Ricinus communis, or Palma Christi) and other species of the family Euphorbiaceae; -- formerly used to designate an acid now called ricinoleic acid (d-12-hydroxyoleic acid, C18H34O3). [Obsoles.] [1913 Webster]
Definition of 'Palma Christi'
From: GCIDE
- Castor bean \Cas"tor bean`\ (Bot.) The bean or seed of the castor-oil plant (Ricinus communis, or Palma Christi.) [1913 Webster]
Definition of 'Palma Christi'
From: GCIDE
- Palma Christi \Pal"ma Chris"ti\ [L., palm of Christ.] (Bot.) A plant (Ricinus communis) with ornamental peltate and palmately cleft foliage, growing as a woody perennial in the tropics, and cultivated as an herbaceous annual in temperate regions; -- called also castor-oil plant. [Sometimes corrupted into palmcrist.] [1913 Webster]
Definition of 'Palma Christi'
From: GCIDE
- ricinoleic acid \ric`in*o"le*ic ac"id\, n. (Chem.) An organic acid (C18H34O3) obtained from the castor-oil plant (Ricinus communis, or Palma Christi) and other species of the family Euphorbiaceae; chemicaly it is d-12-hydroxyoleic acid (CH3(CH2)5.CH(OH).CH2.CH=CH.(CH2)7COOH). Formerly called palmic acid. [1913 Webster +PJC]
Definition of 'Palma Christi'
From: GCIDE
- Castor oil \Cas"tor oil\ (k[a^]s"t[~e]r oil`). A mild cathartic oil, expressed or extracted from the seeds of the Ricinus communis, or Palma Christi. When fresh the oil is inodorous and insipid. [1913 Webster]
- Castor-oil plant. Same as Palma Christi. [1913 Webster]