{{Short description|Genus of flowering plants}} {{For|the ancient city of Paphlagoina|Sesamum (Paphlagonia)}} {{Automatic taxobox |image = Sesamum indicum 2.jpg |image_caption = ''Sesamum indicum'' |taxon = Sesamum |authority = L. |subdivision_ranks = Species |subdivision = See text }}
'''''Sesamum''''' is a genus of 31 species in the flowering plant family Pedaliaceae.<ref name=WFO_2025-12>[https://wfoplantlist.org/taxon/wfo-4000035179-2025-12 Sesamum L.] ''WFO Plant List''. December 2025. Retrieved 13 February 2026</ref> The plants are annual or perennial herbs with edible seeds. The best-known member of the genus is sesame, ''Sesamum indicum'' (syn. ''Sesamum orientale''), the source of sesame 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.
==Species== Species include:<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.theplantlist.org/tpl1.1/search?q=sesamum |title=The Plant List: A Working List of All Plant Species |access-date=January 14, 2015}}</ref> {{div col}} *''Sesamum abbreviatum'' <small>Merxm.</small> *''Sesamum alatum'' <small>Thonn.</small> *''Sesamum angolense'' <small>Welw.</small> *''Sesamum biapiculatum'' <small>De Wild.</small> *''Sesamum calycinum'' <small>Welw.</small> *''Sesamum capense'' <small>Burm. f.</small> *''Sesamum digitaloides'' <small>Welw. ex Schinz</small> *''Sesamum gracile'' <small>Endl.</small> *''Sesamum hopkinsii'' <small>Suess.</small> *''Sesamum indicum'' <small>L.</small> *''Sesamum lamiifolium'' <small>Engl.</small> *''Sesamum latifolium'' <small>J.B. Gillett</small> *''Sesamum lepidotum'' <small>Schinz</small> *''Sesamum macranthum'' <small>Oliv.</small> *''Sesamum marlothii'' <small>Engl.</small> *''Sesamum mombazense'' <small>De Wild. & T.Durand</small> *''Sesamum parviflorum'' <small>Seidenst.</small> *''Sesamum pedalioides'' <small>Welw. ex Hiern</small> *''Sesamum radiatum'' <small>Schumach. & Thonn.</small> *''Sesamum rigidum'' <small>Peyr.</small> *''Sesamum rostratum'' <small>Hochst.</small> *''Sesamum sabulosum'' <small>A.Chev.</small> *''Sesamum schinzianum'' <small>Asch.</small> *''Sesamum somalense'' <small>Chiov.</small> *''Sesamum thonneri'' <small>De Wild. & T. Durand</small> *''Sesamum triphyllum'' <small>Welw. ex Asch.</small> {{div col end}}
==Gallery== <gallery> File:Sesamum mulayanum (Rantil) in Hyderabad, AP W IMG 0278.jpg|''Sesamum indicum'' File:Sesamum rigidum2.jpg|''Sesamum rigidum'' File:Sesamum triphyllum.jpg|''Sesamum triphyllum'' File:Семечко кунжута.jpg|Seed under a microscope </gallery>
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q47334}} {{Authority control}}
Category:Lamiales genera Category:Pedaliaceae
{{Lamiales-stub}}