Sesame bush
Sesamothamnus busseanus
Family: Pedaliaceae
What it is like
A spiny shrub or small tree. It grows 1-5 m tall. The trunk is swollen at the base. The wood is soft. The bark is coppery pink-green. It flakes off in papery layers. The young shoots are hairy. There are many spines. The leaves fall off during the year. The leaves grow in bundles from cushions along the stem. They are 2-5 cm long and wider at the tip. The flowers appear in the bare tree. There are only a few and they are white. They are tube shaped and have a sweet scent. The tube can be bright red. The tube can be 4 cm long and their is a long thin spur 6 cm long. The flower is 4-9 cm across. The fruit is a woody capsule. It is hairy when young. It is long and flattened and brown. It can be 4 cm long by 2 cm wide. There are several small winged seeds.
Where it is found
It is a tropical plant. In Tanzania it grows in woodland and grassland on shallow rocky soils. It grows between 300-1,300 m above sea level. It can grow in very arid conditions.
Countries/locations it is found in
Africa, East Africa, Kenya, Somalia, Tanzania
How it is used for food
The leaves and flowers are wilted and then cooked along or with other vegetables. The leaves are also pounded, soaked in cold water and then filtered and the liquid used as a tenderiser when cooking other vegetables.
Edible parts
Vegetable
How it is grown
Plants can be grown from seeds or cuttings.
The leaves are collected during the rainy season.
Its other names
Local names
Chung'ungu, Ifufu, Mlyang'ungu, Mulyanhungu