Sesamum latifolium
J. B. Gillett
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Description
A herb. It grows 60-120 cm tall. The stems are 4 sided and hairy. The leaves vary. Lower leaves are large and oval or heart shaped and 8-13 cm long by 9-18 cm wide. The upper leaves are smaller. They are oval and 2-5 cm long by 1-4 cm wide. They have teeth along the edge. The flowers are pale pink or mauve. The fruit capsule has short hairs and has 4 grooves. They are 2.7-3.1 cm long and 0.5 cm wide. The seeds are 3 mm long by 2 mm wide.
Edible Uses
The seeds are eaten. This species may be the ancestor of cultivated sesame.
Distribution
It is a tropical plant. In Ethiopia it grows between 500-1,400 m above sea level.
Where It Grows
Africa, East Africa, Ethiopia, Kenya, Sudan, Uganda,
Notes
This may be the ancestor of cultivated sesame.
Also Known As
Gnim jowok
References (1)
- Awas, T., 1997, A Study on the Ecology and Ethnobotany of Non-cultivated Food Plants and Wild Relatives of Cultivated crops in Gambella Region, Southwestern Ethiopia. Addis Ababa University. p 60
