Mamona florindo (Castor oil plant blossoming)

The castor bean (Ricinus communis L.) is an oilseed crop of outstanding importance in Brazil and worldwide. Its oil is a raw material of unique applications in the chemical industry due to the peculiar characteristics of its molecule, that make it the only vegetable oil naturally hydroxylated, and it's composition with a predominance of a single fatty acid (ricinoleic acid) which gives it it's atypical chemical properties.
(Embrapa - Brazilian Agricultural Research Company)

In addition to the wide application in the chemical industry, the castor bean is important because of its drought tolerance, making it a viable culture for the semi-arid region of Brazil, where there are few agricultural alternatives. However, this culture is not unique to semi-arid region, is also planted with excellent results in various regions of the country.