Sesamum alatum, the wing-seeded sesame

Sesamum alatum or the wing-seeded sesame bears edible seeds. The herb grows annually in grassland and open woodland. This one was seen in Mjejane.

Another Sesame species from India, S. indicum, yields oil seed commercially since olden times.

Only the lowest of the five corolla lobes of the flower is lined red across a whitish patch. The rest of the corolla is pale pink, darker into the funnel-shaped tube, hairy on the outside.

Stamens and stigma are positioned well back inside the tube, compelling insects that land on the lined red carpet patch to walk in for lunch. During their messy meals pollen collects upon their bodies for disposal upon the sticky stigmas of flowers visited later. The plant is very pleased, dependent upon their custom.

The very narrow, long leaves of S. alatum are dark green and keeled. Upper leaves are simple, the lower ones variable, lobed or digitate.

New hairy flower buds are growing from the upper leaf axils (Pooley, 1998; Onderstall, 1996; Germishuizen and Fabian, 1982; iNaturalist).