Bitter-Root vs Castor

Apocynum androsaemifolium compared with Ricinus communis

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Bitter-Root	Castor
Kingdom same	Plantae (Plants)	Plantae (Plants)
Phylum same	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)
Class same	Magnoliopsida (Dicots)	Magnoliopsida (Dicots)
Order	Gentianales (Gentianales)	Malpighiales (Malpighiales)
Family	Apocynaceae	Euphorbiaceae
Genus	Apocynum	Ricinus
Species	Apocynum androsaemifolium	Ricinus communis

Evolutionary Relationship

Bitter-Root and Castor share a common ancestor at the Class level: Magnoliopsida. (Dicots)

Conservation Status

Bitter-Root

NE — Not Evaluated

Castor

NE — Not Evaluated

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Bitter-Root	Castor
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Bitter-Root

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial habitats from tropical forests to temperate regions.

Range

Distributed across Canada, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and United States.

Castor

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including tropical and subtropical dry broadleaf forests, flooded grasslands and savannas, and montane grasslands and shrublands, among 7 distinct biome types. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Widely distributed across Africa (33 countries), Asia (26 countries), Europe (23 countries), North America (15 countries), Oceania and the Pacific (14 countries), and South America (12 countries).

Bitter-Root

The Bitter-Root (Apocynum androsaemifolium) is a species in the genus Apocynum. Typically found in diverse terrestrial habitats from tropical forests to temperate regions.

Castor

The Castor (Ricinus communis) is a species in the genus Ricinus. Found across multiple habitat types including tropical and subtropical dry broadleaf forests, flooded grasslands and savannas, and montane grasslands and shrublands, among 7 distinct biome types. Populations are also found in montane and hi

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 4 countries:

🇩🇰 Denmark 🇳🇴 Norway 🇸🇪 Sweden 🇺🇸 United States