Geneticist Anson E. Thompson holds a vial of Lesquerella oil processed and refined at the National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research in Peoria, Illinois. Lesquerella oil is refined from Lesquerella seeds and is rich in hydroxy fatty acids (HFA). The oil is used industrially for making waxes, nylons, resins, plastics, corrosion inhibitors, coatings, lubricating greases, and cosmetics. The molecular structure of the HFA it contains is similar to ricinoleic acid of castor oil.