Sesamum orientale L.

Flowering class: Dicot Habit: Herb

Flowering: June-July. Fruiting: August-October

Flowering and fruiting: July-December

An annual plant growing up to 1.6 - 3.3 ft tall. Leaves are opposite about 1.6 - 5.5 inch long with an entire margin and are broad lanceolate. The flowers are yellow, tubular, 3-5 long, with a four-lobed mouth. The flowers may vary in colour, with some being white, blue, or purple. Sesame fruit is a capsule, normally pubescent, rectangular in section, and typically grooved with a short, triangular beak. The fruit naturally splits open (dehisces) to release the seeds which are about 3 - 4 mm long x 2 mm wide and 1 mm thick. The seeds are ovate, slightly flattened, and somewhat thinner at the eye of the seed (hilum) than at the opposite end. The seed coat (testa) may be smooth or ribbed and is black in colour

Notes: Cultivated

Cultivated

Leaves are eaten cooked as vegetables

Nutritional Value

Protein 21.5%, carbohydrate 8.9%; fat 60.8% & ash 3.4 % along with rich source of unsaturated fatty acids, calcium and vitamins A, vitamin B & vitamin C per 100 gm

Medicinal

Reported to used widely in traditional medicine. The leaves and seed are astringent, used in the treatment of infant cholera, diarrhoea, dysentery and bladder troubles. The seed is reported to be diuretic and acts as a tonic for the liver and kidneys. It is taken internally in the treatment of premature hair loss and greying, convalescence, chronic dry constipation, dental caries, osteoporosis, stiff joints, dry cough etc. It also has a marked ability to increase milk production in nursing mothers