What is "ricinodendron"

Ricinodendron is a plant genus in the family Euphorbiaceae first described as a genus in 1864. It includes only one known species Njangsa (Ricinodendron heudelotii), native to tropical Africa from Senegal + Liberia east to Sudan and Tanzania and south to Mozambique and Angola.

The mongongo fruit ( Schinziophyton rautanenii) was previously considered a member of this genus but has since been placed into a genus of its own.

subspecies and varieties

1. Ricinodendron heudelotii subsp. africanum (Müll.Arg.) J.Léonard - tropical Africa from Nigeria east to Sudan and Tanzania and south to Mozambique and Angola
2. Ricinodendron heudelotii subsp. heudelotii - W Africa from Senegal to Benin
3. Ricinodendron heudelotii var. tomentellum (Hutch. & E.A.Bruce) Radcl.-Sm. - Kenya, Tanzania

formerly included

moved to Schinziophyton

1. R. rautanenii - Schinziophyton rautanenii
2. R. viticoides - Schinziophyton rautanenii