﻿460 PEDALiNE^ (Stapf). [Sesamum. 



2-labiate ; lowest lobe usually distinctly longer than the others. 

 Stamens subdidynamous, inserted low down in the corolla-tube, not 

 conniving ; filaments slender, filiform ; anthers dorsifixed ; cells 

 parallel, dehiscing longitudinally to the base. Disc annular, equal. 

 Ovari/ 2-celled ; cells divided by a spurious septum almost to the 

 apex ; ovules numerous, 1-seriate in each division. Capsule oblong", 

 slightly compressed at right angles to the septum, loculicidal towards 

 the base, more or less beaked, without any lateral appendage at the 

 apex. Seeds nvimerous, compressed, obovate. 



Annual or perennial, erect or procumbeut herbs ; leaves membranous, some- 

 times rather firm, petioled or the upper sessile, polymorphic ; flowers solitary 

 in the axils of the leaves on mostly very short pedicels, pale pink to deep 

 purple. 



DisTRiB. Species about 18, distributed throughout Africa and the Mascarene 

 Isles, extending to the south of Europe and through the Orient to India, China, 

 and Japan. 



Section 1. Sesamotypus. Plants distinctly (though sometimes sparingly) 

 pubescent or long-bairy to villous. Leaves undivided, rarely the lower 3-foliolate 

 or 3-partite. Seeds with more or less acute margins, rarely with a narrow 

 membranous rim {S. antirrliinoides) ; faces rugose or smooth. 



Only South African species ... (1) S. indicum. 



Section 2. Sesamoptbris, Plants glabrous (apart from the mucilage 

 glands) or with few microscopic adpressed hairs on the youngest parts. Leaves 

 (at least the lower and intermediate) 7-3-foliolate or 7-3-partite. Seeds broadly 

 winged, faces muriculate-foveolate. 



Only South African species (2) S. capense. 



1. S. indicum (Linn. Spec. PI. ed. i. 634) ; stems erect, simple or 

 branched, from a few to 6 ft. high, very sparingly and finely pubes- 

 cent and more or less mealy- glandular, at length glabrescent, obtusely 

 quadrangular, sulcate ; leaves very variable, usually heteromorphic ; 

 lowest long-petioled (petiole 4-6 in. long), 3-partite or 3-foliolate ; 

 segments or leaflets ovate to ovate-lanceolate, acute, deeply dentate, 

 3-6 in. long, 1-2 in. broad, upper with much shorter petioles, 

 lanceolate, acute, attenuated at the base, 2-4 in. long, 3-9 lin. broad, 

 entire or rarely repand, passing into the similar leafy bracts, inter- 

 mediate leaves also intermediate in shape and size, all the leaves 

 very sparingly and minutely pubescent, more or less mealy-glandular 

 below ; pedicels at length 2 lin. long, 2-bracteolate or subebracteo- 

 iate at the base ; nectaries sessile ; calyx 2\ lin. long, finely pubes- 

 cent ; segments lanceolate, acute ; corolla about 1 in. long, obliquely 

 campanulate, whitish, tinged with pink or purple ; capsule |-1 in. 

 long, 3-4 lin. broad, usually finely pubescent, rather abruptly con- 

 tracted into a short deltoid beak ; seeds pale brown or dark, U Hn- 

 long, faces smooth. Bot. Mag. t. 1688; TIndl. Iconogr. t." 70 

 Bernh. in Linncza xvi. 37, 42 ; BC. Prodr. ix. 250 and PL Bai 

 Genev. 18, t. v. ; Wight, Illustr. t. 163 ; A. Rich. Tent. Fl. Abyss 

 11. 62 ; Welw. Apont. 551 ; Oliv. in Trans. Linn. Soc. xxix. 131 , 

 Benth. ^- Trim. Med. PI. t. 198 ; Ficalho, PI. Uteis, 237 ; Hook. / 

 Fl. Brit. Ind. iv. 387; Engl. Pfi. Ost-Afr. B, 156, 486, fig. 21 ; 



