Sesamum alatum Thonn.

Erect herb 20–90 (rarely 150) cm. high, stem simple or sparsely branched, sulcate, glabrous except for the mucilage glands.. Leaves generally heteromorphic, opposite or rarely alternate, lower leaves long-petiolate (2–7 cm.), palmately 3–5-foliolate or partite; lobes lanceolate to narrowly linear-lanceolate, 1.5–7 cm. long, 0.2–1 cm. broad, central lobe longest, cuneate at the base, acute or rounded at the apex (Fig. 7/1); margins entire or undulate; glabrous except for the mucilage glands which are denser below; upper leaves usually simple, linear-lanceolate to finely linear, 3–6 cm. long, attenuate into a 1–2 cm. long petiole.. Flowers pink or purple, sometimes red-spotted within.. Calyx deciduous; lobes linear-lanceolate acuminate, 3–3.5 mm. long, densely glandular and thinly pubescent.. Corolla 2–3 cm. long, thinly glandular and pilose outside with white multicellular hairs, thinly pubescent within.. Ovary densely ascending adpressed-pubescent, slightly compressed and 4-angled, about 5 mm. long and just over 1 mm. broad, attenuate at the apex into a slender style.. Capsule narrowly obconical, 2–4 cm. long, excluding the 4–12 mm. long beak, 5–7 mm. broad in the upper part, gradually narrowed to the base, abruptly acuminate and beaked at the apex, glandular and thinly pubescent, becoming glabrous, slightly compressed and 4-sulcate (Fig. 7/2).. Seeds (Fig. 7/3) obliquely overlapping in the capsule, 2–3 mm. long, foveolate, with a suborbicular 2–3 mm. long wing at the base and apex.. Fig. 7/1–3, p. 18.

Dry savannah; it is often common around villages and is sometimes tolerated as a weed in fields. It is often found on sandy soils, in river beds, grassland and open bushland, or as a weed in fields, often in cultivated sesame.

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

Can be grown by seedlings.