Sesamum. 885 
Flum., p. 264. — Volkameria orientalis O. Ktze. Rey. Gen. Plant. II, 
p- 481. — Stems erect, simple or branched, from a few cm to 
1,20 m high, very sparingly and finely pubescent and more or less 
mealy-glandular, at length glabrescent, obtusely quadrangular, suleate. 
Leaves very variable, usually heteromorphic; lowest long petioled 
(petiole 8—12 cm long), 3-partite or 3-foliolate; segments or leaflets 
ovate to ovate-lanceolate, acute, deeply dentate, 6—9 cm long, 
2—5 cm broad; upper with much shorter petioles, lanceolate, acute, 
attenuated at the base, 5—8 cm long, 5—8 mm broad, entire, rarely 
repand, passing into the similar foliaceous bracts; intermediate leaves 
also intermediate in shape and size; all the leaves very sparingly 
and minutely pubescent, more or less mealy-glandular below. 
Pedicels very short, at length 5 mm long, 2-bracteolate or sub- 
ebracteolate at the base; nectaries sessile. Calyx 51/, mm long, 
finely pubescent; segments lanceolate, acute. Corolla about 2 cm 
long, obliquely campanulate, whitish, tinged with pink or purple. 
Capsule 1,5—5 cm long, 5—8 mm broad, usually finely pubescent, 
rather abruptly contracted into a short deltoid beak. Seeds pale 
brown or dark, 2/, mm long, faces smooth. — Flow. March to April. 
M. ma. M. p. N. d. N.f. N. v. Cultivated everywhere and often 
naturalized. 
Local name: semsem; simsim. 
Cultivated in most tropical and subtropical countries for the oil which 
is extracted from the seeds, very probably of tropical African origin. 
101. Orobanchaceae. 
Flowers hermaphrodite, zygomorphic. Calyx inferior, gamose- 
palous, 2—5-toothed or -lobed, rarely truncate, or spathaceous and 
open in front, or consisting of 2 lateral 1—2-toothed or linear 
divisions which are either quite free or more or less united at the 
- base in front. Corolla gamopetalous, tubular or funnel-shaped in 
the upper part, usually curved; limb oblique, 2-lipped or nearly 
equally 5-lobed; upper one lip entire or 2-lobed, lower lip 3-lobed, lobes 
imbricate, the upper inside. Stamens 4, didynamous, usually inserted 
below the middle of the corolla-tube and enclosed in it; filaments 
filiform; anthers dorsifixed, conniving or cohering (by means of hairs) 
in pairs; cells parallel or slightly diverging, often mucronate, 
longitudinally dehiscent, both fertile or one empty. Disk hypogynous, 
obscure or produced anticously into a nectarial gland. Ovary superior, 
1-celled; carpels 2, median, rarely 3; style simple, terminal; stigma 
‘orbicular or 2—-3-lobed. Placentas 4, separate or contiguous or 
partly fused in pairs; ovules very numerous, anatropous. Capsule 
