An American castor-bean plant (Ricinus americanus). Drawing by Thomas Malie, ca. 1730.

1 drawing : pencil and pen and brown ink and grey wash ; sheet 47.8 x 32 cm

Hanc plantam inveni in insulis Americæ sponte nascentem ... Extremam virentium foliorum oram cingunt fibrilæ quædam, pariter viridiscentes, & singulæ capitulo aliquo munitæ, qui purgationibus ac enematis præparandis inservit; decoctorum etiam capitulorum aquam illis exhibere qui morbo ibidem populari, nomine the dry bellyach, infestantur ... Bears number top right : "94"

Thomas Malie (Mallie, Malié) was Surgeon-General to H.M. Forces in the West Indies: see obituary in The gentleman's magazine, 1789, vol. 59, pt. 1, p. 467

Wellcome Collection 11919i