''Sesamum'' is a

leguminous A legume () is a plant in the family Fabaceae (or Leguminosae), or the fruit or seed of such a plant. When used as a dry grain, the seed is also called a pulse. Legumes are grown agriculturally, primarily for human consumption, for livestock fo ...

crop and

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial n ...

of about 20 species in the flowering plant family

Pedaliaceae Pedaliaceae, the pedalium family or sesame family, is a flowering plant family classified in the order Lamiales. The family includes sesame (''Sesamum indicum''), the source of sesame seeds. It comprises 13 genera and approximately 70 specie ...

. The plants are

annual Annual may refer to: * Annual publication, periodical publications appearing regularly once per year **Yearbook **Literary annual * Annual plant *Annual report *Annual giving *Annual, Morocco, a settlement in northeastern Morocco *Annuals (band), ...

perennial A perennial plant or simply perennial is a plant that lives more than two years. The term ('' per-'' + '' -ennial'', "through the years") is often used to differentiate a plant from shorter-lived annuals and biennials. The term is also wide ...

herbs with edible seeds. The best-known member of the genus is

sesame Sesame ( or ; ''Sesamum indicum'') is a flowering plant in the genus '' Sesamum'', also called benne. Numerous wild relatives occur in Africa and a smaller number in India. It is widely naturalized in tropical regions around the world and is c ...

, '' Sesamum indicum'' (syn. ''Sesamum orientale''), the source of

seeds. The species are primarily African, with some species occurring in India, Sri Lanka, and China. The origin of ''S. indicum'' is uncertain, as it is widely cultivated and naturalized in tropical regions. The genus is closely related to the strictly African genus '' Ceratotheca'' and is itself probably African in origin.

Species

Species include: *''

Sesamum abbreviatum ''Sesamum'' is a leguminous crop and genus of about 20 species in the flowering plant family Pedaliaceae. The plants are annual or perennial herbs with edible seeds. The best-known member of the genus is sesame, ''Sesamum indicum'' (syn. ''Sesam ...

'' Merxm. *'' Sesamum alatum'' Thonn. *'' Sesamum angolense'' Welw. *''

Sesamum biapiculatum ''Sesamum'' is a leguminous crop and genus of about 20 species in the flowering plant family Pedaliaceae. The plants are annual or perennial herbs with edible seeds. The best-known member of the genus is sesame, ''Sesamum indicum'' (syn. ''Sesam ...

'' De Wild. *''

Sesamum calycinum ''Sesamum'' is a leguminous crop and genus of about 20 species in the flowering plant family Pedaliaceae. The plants are annual or perennial herbs with edible seeds. The best-known member of the genus is sesame, ''Sesamum indicum'' (syn. ''Sesam ...

'' Welw. *''

Sesamum capense ''Sesamum'' is a leguminous crop and genus of about 20 species in the flowering plant family Pedaliaceae. The plants are annual or perennial herbs with edible seeds. The best-known member of the genus is sesame, '' Sesamum indicum'' (syn. '' ...

'' Burm. f. *''

Sesamum digitaloides ''Sesamum'' is a leguminous crop and genus of about 20 species in the flowering plant family Pedaliaceae. The plants are annual or perennial herbs with edible seeds. The best-known member of the genus is sesame, '' Sesamum indicum'' (syn. ''Se ...

'' Welw. ex Schinz *'' Sesamum gracile'' Endl. *'' Sesamum hopkinsii'' Suess. *'' Sesamum indicum'' L. *''

Sesamum lamiifolium ''Sesamum'' is a leguminous crop and genus of about 20 species in the flowering plant family Pedaliaceae. The plants are annual or perennial herbs with edible seeds. The best-known member of the genus is sesame, '' Sesamum indicum'' (syn. '' ...

'' Engl. *''

Sesamum latifolium ''Sesamum'' is a leguminous crop and genus of about 20 species in the flowering plant family Pedaliaceae. The plants are annual or perennial herbs with edible seeds. The best-known member of the genus is sesame, ''Sesamum indicum'' (syn. ''Sesam ...

'' J.B. Gillett *'' Sesamum lepidotum'' Schinz *'' Sesamum macranthum'' Oliv. *''

Sesamum marlothii ''Sesamum marlothii'' is a species of flowering plant in the same genus as sesame Sesame ( or ; ''Sesamum indicum'') is a flowering plant in the genus ''Sesamum'', also called benne. Numerous wild relatives occur in Africa and a smaller numb ...

'' Engl. *''

Sesamum mombazense ''Sesamum'' is a leguminous crop and genus of about 20 species in the flowering plant family Pedaliaceae. The plants are annual or perennial herbs with edible seeds. The best-known member of the genus is sesame, '' Sesamum indicum'' (syn. ''Sesa ...

'' De Wild. & T.Durand *''

Sesamum parviflorum ''Sesamum'' is a leguminous crop and genus of about 20 species in the flowering plant family Pedaliaceae. The plants are annual or perennial herbs with edible seeds. The best-known member of the genus is sesame, '' Sesamum indicum'' (syn. ''Sesa ...

'' Seidenst. *''

Sesamum pedalioides ''Sesamum'' is a leguminous crop and genus of about 20 species in the flowering plant family Pedaliaceae. The plants are annual or perennial herbs with edible seeds. The best-known member of the genus is sesame, '' Sesamum indicum'' (syn. ''Sesa ...

'' Welw. ex Hiern *''

Sesamum radiatum ''Sesamum radiatum'' is a species of flowering plant in the Pedaliaceae. It is in the same genus as sesame. It is known by the English common names benniseed, black benniseed, black sesame,Konan, A. B., et al. (2011)Myostimulating effect of ''S ...

'' Schumach. & Thonn. *''

Sesamum rigidum ''Sesamum'' is a leguminous crop and genus of about 20 species in the flowering plant family Pedaliaceae. The plants are annual or perennial herbs with edible seeds. The best-known member of the genus is sesame, '' Sesamum indicum'' (syn. ''Sesa ...

'' Peyr. *''

Sesamum rostratum ''Sesamum'' is a leguminous crop and genus of about 20 species in the flowering plant family Pedaliaceae. The plants are annual or perennial herbs with edible seeds. The best-known member of the genus is sesame, '' Sesamum indicum'' (syn. ''Sesa ...

'' Hochst. *''

Sesamum sabulosum ''Sesamum'' is a leguminous crop and genus of about 20 species in the flowering plant family Pedaliaceae. The plants are annual or perennial herbs with edible seeds. The best-known member of the genus is sesame, '' Sesamum indicum'' (syn. '' ...

'' A.Chev. *''

Sesamum schinzianum ''Sesamum schinzianum'' is a species of flowering plant in the Pedaliaceae family. It is native to Angola and Namibia. It was originally described by Schinz based on information from Ascherson. pp. 182–184 References {{Taxonbar, from=Q ...

'' Asch. *''

Sesamum somalense ''Sesamum'' is a leguminous crop and genus of about 20 species in the flowering plant family Pedaliaceae. The plants are annual or perennial herbs with edible seeds. The best-known member of the genus is sesame, '' Sesamum indicum'' (syn. '' ...

'' Chiov. *''

Sesamum thonneri ''Sesamum'' is a leguminous crop and genus of about 20 species in the flowering plant family Pedaliaceae. The plants are annual or perennial herbs with edible seeds. The best-known member of the genus is sesame, '' Sesamum indicum'' (syn. '' ...

'' De Wild. & T. Durand *''

Sesamum triphyllum ''Sesamum'' is a leguminous crop and genus of about 20 species in the flowering plant family Pedaliaceae. The plants are annual or perennial herbs with edible seeds. The best-known member of the genus is sesame, '' Sesamum indicum'' (syn. ''Se ...

'' Welw. ex Asch.

Gallery

File:Sesamum mulayanum (Rantil) in Hyderabad, AP W IMG 0278.jpg, '' Sesamum indicum'' File:Sesamum rigidum2.jpg, ''

'' File:Sesamum triphyllum.jpg, ''

'' File:Семечко кунжута.jpg, Seed under a microscope

References

Lamiales genera Pedaliaceae {{Lamiales-stub