Taxon: Sesamum sesamoides (Endl.) Byng & Christenh.

Summary

Genus:

Sesamum

Family:

Pedaliaceae

Nomen number:

509963

Place of publication:

Global fl. 4:146. 2018

Verified:

04/02/2024 ARS Systematic Botanists.

Accessions:

1 (0 active, 0 available) in National Plant Germplasm System. (Map it)

Other conspecific taxa

Autonyms (not in current use), synonyms and invalid designations

Basionym
Ceratotheca sesamoides Endl.

No images

Conservation Status

Reference(s)

African plant database. Conservatoire et Jardin Botaniques Ville de Geneve. Note: accessed on April 2024
Bedigian, D. . 2018. Feeding the forgotten: wild and cultivated Ceratotheca and Sesamum (Pedaliaceae) that nourish and provide remedies in Africa. Econ. Bot. 72:496-542. Note: as Ceratotheca sesamoides
Exell, A. W. et al., eds. 1960-. Flora zambesiaca. Note: as Ceratotheca sesamoides
Germishuizen, G. & N. L. Meyer, eds. 2003. Plants of southern Africa: an annotated checklist. Strelitzia 14 National Botanical Institute, Pretoria, South Africa. Note: as Ceratotheca sesamoides
Keay, R. W. J. & F. N. Hepper. 1953-1972. Flora of west tropical Africa, ed. 2. Note: as Ceratotheca sesamoides
Kunkel, G. 1984. Plants for human consumption Note: as Ceratotheca sesamoides
Turrill, W. B. et al., eds. 1952-. Flora of tropical East Africa. Note: as Ceratotheca sesamoides
Zhigila, D. A. & A. M. Muasya . 2023. Molecular phylogenetics, biogeography and character evolution in Sesamum (Pedaliaceae). Bot. J. Linn. Soc. 201:455-470. DOI: 10.1093/botlinnean/boac074. Note: this study supports the monophyly of Sesamum including members of the genus Ceratotheca
Zoclanclounon, Y. A. B. et al. . 2023. Insights into chloroplast genome structure and phylogenetic relationships within the Sesamum species complex (Pedaliaceae). Front. Genet. 14:1207306. DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2023.1207306. Note: showed that Ceratotheca sesamoides consistently formed a sister relationship with 2n=64 Sesamum radiatum supporting its recognition in the genus Sesamum

Common names

Distribution

order_code	Status	Continent	Subcontinent	Country	Reference
1	Native	Africa	East Tropical Africa	Kenya	Turrill, W. B. et al., eds. 1952-. Flora of tropical East Africa. Note: as Ceratotheca sesamoides
1	Native	Africa	East Tropical Africa	Tanzania	Turrill, W. B. et al., eds. 1952-. Flora of tropical East Africa. Note: as Ceratotheca sesamoides
1	Native	Africa	East Tropical Africa	Uganda	Turrill, W. B. et al., eds. 1952-. Flora of tropical East Africa. Note: as Ceratotheca sesamoides
1	Native	Africa	Northeast Tropical Africa	Sudan	Turrill, W. B. et al., eds. 1952-. Flora of tropical East Africa. Note: as Ceratotheca sesamoides
1	Native	Africa	South Tropical Africa	Malawi	Exell, A. W. et al., eds. 1960-. Flora zambesiaca. Note: as Ceratotheca sesamoides
1	Native	Africa	South Tropical Africa	Mozambique	Exell, A. W. et al., eds. 1960-. Flora zambesiaca. Note: as Ceratotheca sesamoides
1	Native	Africa	South Tropical Africa	Zambia	Exell, A. W. et al., eds. 1960-. Flora zambesiaca. Note: as Ceratotheca sesamoides
1	Native	Africa	South Tropical Africa	Zimbabwe	Exell, A. W. et al., eds. 1960-. Flora zambesiaca. Note: as Ceratotheca sesamoides
1	Native	Africa	Southern Africa	Botswana	Germishuizen, G. & N. L. Meyer, eds. 2003. Plants of southern Africa: an annotated checklist. Strelitzia 14 National Botanical Institute, Pretoria, South Africa. Note: as Ceratotheca sesamoides
1	Native	Africa	Southern Africa	Namibia	Germishuizen, G. & N. L. Meyer, eds. 2003. Plants of southern Africa: an annotated checklist. Strelitzia 14 National Botanical Institute, Pretoria, South Africa. Note: as Ceratotheca sesamoides
1	Native	Africa	West Tropical Africa	Ghana	Keay, R. W. J. & F. N. Hepper. 1953-1972. Flora of west tropical Africa, ed. 2. Note: as Ceratotheca sesamoides
1	Native	Africa	West Tropical Africa	Guinea	Keay, R. W. J. & F. N. Hepper. 1953-1972. Flora of west tropical Africa, ed. 2. Note: as Ceratotheca sesamoides
1	Native	Africa	West Tropical Africa	Liberia	Keay, R. W. J. & F. N. Hepper. 1953-1972. Flora of west tropical Africa, ed. 2. Note: as Ceratotheca sesamoides
1	Native	Africa	West Tropical Africa	Mali	Keay, R. W. J. & F. N. Hepper. 1953-1972. Flora of west tropical Africa, ed. 2. Note: as Ceratotheca sesamoides
1	Native	Africa	West Tropical Africa	Senegal	Keay, R. W. J. & F. N. Hepper. 1953-1972. Flora of west tropical Africa, ed. 2. Note: as Ceratotheca sesamoides
1	Native	Africa	West Tropical Africa	Sierra Leone	Keay, R. W. J. & F. N. Hepper. 1953-1972. Flora of west tropical Africa, ed. 2. Note: as Ceratotheca sesamoides
1	Native	Africa	West Tropical Africa	Togo	Keay, R. W. J. & F. N. Hepper. 1953-1972. Flora of west tropical Africa, ed. 2. Note: as Ceratotheca sesamoides
2	Cultivated	Africa	East Tropical Africa	Uganda	Bedigian, D. . 2018. Feeding the forgotten: wild and cultivated Ceratotheca and Sesamum (Pedaliaceae) that nourish and provide remedies in Africa. Econ. Bot. 72:496-542. Note: as Ceratotheca sesamoides

Native
Africa

NORTHEAST TROPICAL AFRICA: Sudan
EAST TROPICAL AFRICA: Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda
WEST TROPICAL AFRICA: Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Mali, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Togo
SOUTH TROPICAL AFRICA: Mozambique, Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe
SOUTHERN AFRICA: Botswana, Namibia

Cultivated
Africa

EAST TROPICAL AFRICA: Uganda

Reference(s)

Bedigian, D. . 2018. Feeding the forgotten: wild and cultivated Ceratotheca and Sesamum (Pedaliaceae) that nourish and provide remedies in Africa. Econ. Bot. 72:496-542. Note: as Ceratotheca sesamoides
Exell, A. W. et al., eds. 1960-. Flora zambesiaca. Note: as Ceratotheca sesamoides
Germishuizen, G. & N. L. Meyer, eds. 2003. Plants of southern Africa: an annotated checklist. Strelitzia 14 National Botanical Institute, Pretoria, South Africa. Note: as Ceratotheca sesamoides
Keay, R. W. J. & F. N. Hepper. 1953-1972. Flora of west tropical Africa, ed. 2. Note: as Ceratotheca sesamoides
Turrill, W. B. et al., eds. 1952-. Flora of tropical East Africa. Note: as Ceratotheca sesamoides

Economic Uses

Usage	Type	Note	Reference
Food additives	flavoring	potential, locally consumed pounded	Bedigian, D. . 2018. Feeding the forgotten: wild and cultivated Ceratotheca and Sesamum (Pedaliaceae) that nourish and provide remedies in Africa. Econ. Bot. 72:496-542. Note: as Ceratotheca sesamoides
Food additives	gelling agent	potential, locally consumed to bind flour	Bedigian, D. . 2018. Feeding the forgotten: wild and cultivated Ceratotheca and Sesamum (Pedaliaceae) that nourish and provide remedies in Africa. Econ. Bot. 72:496-542. Note: as Ceratotheca sesamoides
Human food	vegetable		Kunkel, G. 1984. Plants for human consumption Note: as Ceratotheca sesamoides
Human food	vegetable		Exell, A. W. et al., eds. 1960-. Flora zambesiaca. Note: as Ceratotheca sesamoides
Human food	vegetable	potential, locally consumed in West Africa	Bedigian, D. . 2018. Feeding the forgotten: wild and cultivated Ceratotheca and Sesamum (Pedaliaceae) that nourish and provide remedies in Africa. Econ. Bot. 72:496-542. Note: as Ceratotheca sesamoides
Weed			Turrill, W. B. et al., eds. 1952-. Flora of tropical East Africa. Note: as Ceratotheca sesamoides
Weed			Exell, A. W. et al., eds. 1960-. Flora zambesiaca. Note: as Ceratotheca sesamoides

Cite as: USDA, Agricultural Research Service, National Plant Germplasm System. 2026. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN Taxonomy). National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland.
URL: https://npgstest.ars-grin.gov/gringlobal/taxon/taxonomydetail?id=509963. Accessed 11 May 2026.