Winged sesame
Sesamum alatum

Family: Pedaliaceae

What it is like

A shrub. It is erect and grows 45-150 cm high. There are few branches. The leaves at the base have irregular lobes. The upper leaves are narrow and single. They are 10 cm long by 4 m wide. The flowers occur singly. They are in the axils of leaves. They are pink tubes. The fruit are 3.5 cm long by 7 mm across. It tapers downward and ends in a beak.

There are 19 Sesamum species.

Where it is found

It is a tropical plant. It mostly grows on sandy soils. It grows in dry savannah. It grows between 600-900 m above sea level. It can grow in arid places. It grows in the Sahara.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central Africa, Chad, Congo, East Africa, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Ghana, India, Kenya, Madagascar, Mali, Mediterranean, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, North Africa, Senegal, South Africa, Southern Africa, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Uganda, West Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe

How it is used for food

The seeds are rich in oil which is used in cooking. The seeds are ground into flour. They are also eaten as a snack. The leaves are cooked and used as a vegetable. They are also used as a thickening agent.

A minor vegetable of local importance.

Edible parts

Leaves, seeds, seeds - oil, vegetable

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Chinhonhoane, Cimangamangane, Gazelle's sesame, Ludvonca-loludliwako, Namt, Selg Imohr, Sum-sum al rhazal, Tacoutta, Udonqa

Synonyms

Sesamum ekambaramii Naidu; Sesamum sabulosum A. Chev.;