Castor vs Common Flax

Ricinus communis compared with Linum usitatissimum

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Castor	Common Flax
Kingdom same	Plantae (Plants)	Plantae (Plants)
Phylum same	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)
Class same	Magnoliopsida (Dicots)	Magnoliopsida (Dicots)
Order same	Malpighiales (Malpighiales)	Malpighiales (Malpighiales)
Family	Euphorbiaceae	Linaceae
Genus	Ricinus	Linum
Species	Ricinus communis	Linum usitatissimum

Evolutionary Relationship

Castor and Common Flax share a common ancestor at the Order level: Malpighiales. (Malpighiales)

View Order: Malpighiales

Conservation Status

Castor

NE — Not Evaluated

Common Flax

NE — Not Evaluated

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Castor	Common Flax
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

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).

Common Flax

Habitat

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

Range

Widely distributed across Africa (Angola, Morocco, Zimbabwe), Asia (10 countries), Europe (25 countries), North America (Canada, United States), Oceania and the Pacific (Australia), and South America (4 countries).

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

Common Flax

<em>Linum usitatissimum</em> is an annual flowering plant in the family Linaceae, order Malpighiales, commonly known as common flax or linseed. This species has been cultivated by humans for thousands of years and is one of the oldest domesticated crops, valued for both its fiber (used to produce linen textiles) and its seeds (source of linseed oil and dietary flaxseed). <em>Linum usitatissimum</em> has an exceptionally broad global distribution through cultivation and naturalization, with presence documented across Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, Oceania, and South America. The plant typically grows as a slender, erect annual reaching approximately 1.2 meters in height, bearing narrow leaves and distinctive pale blue to white five-petaled flowers. It favors well-drained soils in temperate to subtropical climates and is widely grown as a commercial crop. The species thrives in open, sunny habitats. Biological traits of this species remain poorly documented in the scientific literature.