Pedaliaceae

Pedaliaceae, the sesame family, is a small group of flowering plants in the order Lamiales. The family comprises tropical and subtropical herbs, shrubs, or climbers, with a distribution centered in Africa and southern Asia and extending into the Americas in a few taxa. Estimates of the number of genera and species vary, but most classifications recognize about 9 genera and 60–100 species. The best-known member is Sesamum indicum, the cultivated sesame, grown for its seeds and oil. Other genera include Pedalium, Ceratotheca, and Dicerocaryum.

Description: Plants are typically herbaceous, though some are shrubby. Leaves are simple and opposite, often with short petioles. Flowers are usually bisexual and showy enough to attract pollinators; they often have a tubular to bilabiate corolla and are borne in terminal or axillary inflorescences. The fruit is a capsule containing numerous tiny seeds, which in sesame are harvested for oil and culinary use.

Distribution and habitat: Pedaliaceae are primarily tropical and subtropical, preferring warm climates. They occur mainly in Africa and Asia, with a few species reaching the Americas, and inhabit a range of open, dry to moderately moist habitats.

Ecology and uses: Sesame seeds from Sesamum indicum are a major agricultural crop, valued for edible oil and food products. Some Pedaliaceae species have traditional medicinal uses or are cultivated ornamentally. The family is of interest to botanists for its distinctive floral morphology and its placement within Lamiales.

Taxonomy: Within Lamiales, Pedaliaceae has been subject to revised circumscription as molecular data clarified relationships with related families. Genera and species boundaries have varied across classifications.