Big-seed false flax, German sesame
Camelina sativa

Family: Brassicaceae

What it is like

A cabbage family herb. It is an erect annual herb. It grows 80 cm high. It branches from the base. The lower leaves are oblong or sword shaped and 15-50 cm long by 5-10 mm wide. They are wedge shaped at the base. The upper leaves are narrow and without stalks. The flowers are yellow. They are in groups of 30-70 flowers. They are on a stalk 30 cm long. The fruit is a pod 7-9 mm long and 4-5 mm wide.

There are 10 Camelina species.

Where it is found

It is a temperate plant. Tasmania Herbarium.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Albania, Argentina, Armenia, Asia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Balkans, Belarus, Belgium, Brazil, Britain, Bulgaria, Caucasus, Central Asia, China, Crete, Czech, Denmark, Estonia, Europe (country/location of origin), Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, India, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Korea, Latvia, Lithuania, Mediterranean, Moldova, Mongolia, Netherlands, New Zealand, North Africa, Norway, Pakistan, Poland, Romania, Russia, Scandinavia, Slovakia, Slovenia, South America, Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Tasmania, Turkey, Türkiye, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uruguay, SW Asia, N Africa, North America

How it is used for food

An edible oil is extracted from the seeds.

It is cultivated.

Edible parts

Seeds - oil, leaves

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Camelina, False flax, Gold-of-pleasure, Nabo frances, Navadni riček, Siberian oil-seed, Soruk

Synonyms

Camelina parodii Ibarra & La Porte; Myagrum sativum L. Myagrum sativum Linnaeus, Camelina caucasica (Sinskaya) Vassilczenko; Camelina glabrata (de Can-dolle) Fritsch ex N. Zinger; Camelina pilosa (de Candolle) N. Zinger; Camelina sativa var. caucasica Sinskaya; Camelina sativa var. glabrata de Candolle; Camelina sativa var. pilosa de Candolle