Sesame family
Description
A family of annual and perrenial herbs occurring in arid and coastal areas, mainly in the Old World tropics and subtropics with the greatest number in Africa (Pedaliaceae 1).
The leaves are opposite, simple or lobed, often with glandular hairs. The flowers are solitary or in small axillary cymes, irregular (Pedaliaceae 2), with a united calyx and tubular corolla, each composed of 5 parts.There are 4 stamens, attached to the petals and a superior ovary. The fruit is a nut or a capsule.
There are about 15 genera.
Use
The genus Sesamum provides edible seeds and oil.
Described species
Sesamum indicum, sesame, simsim, beniseed, gingelly, til