Guizotia abyssinica

Niger seed

Family Compositae (or Asteraceae)

Guizotia abyssinica, Niger seed (G. abyssinica 1), is a branched annual herb, 50-150 cm tall, with hairy stems and opposite, sessile, lanceolate and serrate leaves. The flower heads are borne in leaf axils, 2-3 cm across, with female ray florets and tubular bisexual disc florets. The fruit is a black achene.

Use
Niger seed yield edible oil, which is used for culinary purposes, as lamp oil and for the manufacture of soap, mainly in India and Ethiopia. Some oil is also used in paints. The press cake is used for livestock.