Sesamum is a genus of 31 species in the flowering plant family Pedaliaceae. The plants are annual or perennial herbs with edible seeds. The best-known member of the genus is sesame, Sesamum indicum (syn. Sesamum orientale), the source of sesame seeds. The species are primarily African, with some species occurring in India, Sri Lanka, and China. The origin of S. indicum is uncertain, as it is widely cultivated and naturalized in tropical regions.
Species
Species include:
- Sesamum abbreviatum <small>Merxm.</small>
- Sesamum alatum <small>Thonn.</small>
- Sesamum angolense <small>Welw.</small>
- Sesamum biapiculatum <small>De Wild.</small>
- Sesamum calycinum <small>Welw.</small>
- Sesamum capense <small>Burm. f.</small>
- Sesamum digitaloides <small>Welw. ex Schinz</small>
- Sesamum gracile <small>Endl.</small>
- Sesamum hopkinsii <small>Suess.</small>
- Sesamum indicum <small>L.</small>
- Sesamum lamiifolium <small>Engl.</small>
- Sesamum latifolium <small>J.B. Gillett</small>
- Sesamum lepidotum <small>Schinz</small>
- Sesamum macranthum <small>Oliv.</small>
- Sesamum marlothii <small>Engl.</small>
- Sesamum mombazense <small>De Wild. & T.Durand</small>
- Sesamum parviflorum <small>Seidenst.</small>
- Sesamum pedalioides <small>Welw. ex Hiern</small>
- Sesamum radiatum <small>Schumach. & Thonn.</small>
- Sesamum rigidum <small>Peyr.</small>
- Sesamum rostratum <small>Hochst.</small>
- Sesamum sabulosum <small>A.Chev.</small>
- Sesamum schinzianum <small>Asch.</small>
- Sesamum somalense <small>Chiov.</small>
- Sesamum thonneri <small>De Wild. & T. Durand</small>
- Sesamum triphyllum <small>Welw. ex Asch.</small>
Gallery
<gallery>
File:Sesamum mulayanum (Rantil) in Hyderabad, AP W IMG 0278.jpg|Sesamum indicum
File:Sesamum rigidum2.jpg|Sesamum rigidum
File:Sesamum triphyllum.jpg|Sesamum triphyllum
File:Семечко кунжута.jpg|Seed under a microscope
</gallery>