Sesamum indicum
speciesAt a glance
Sources17 archives
Databases and archives Sesamum indicum's data was compiled from.
WikipediaWikimedia Foundation22 languages↗
BioWikiNetmultilingual Wikipediamultilingual↗
GBIFGlobal Biodiversity Information Facility3 227 records↗
ENAEuropean Nucleotide Archive · EMBL-EBI112 eDNA detections↗
BOLD SystemsCentre for Biodiversity Genomics19 specimens↗
NCBIUS National Library of Medicinesequences↗
dukesphytochemcompounds
FooDBThe Metabolomics Innovation Centrecompounds↗
LOTUSNatural Products (Wikidata)compounds↗
NPASSNat. Product Activity & Species Sourcecompounds↗
GRIN TaxonomyUSDA-ARSdistribution & uses↗
Open Tree of LifeOpenTreephylogeny backbone↗
CCDBChromosome Counts DB · Tel Aviv U.genome & karyotype↗
GoaTGenomes on a Tree · Sangergenome & karyotype↗
PloiDBPloidy Databasegenome & karyotype
Paleobiology DatabasePBDB consortiumfossil record↗
GLoBIGlobal Biotic Interactionsbiotic interactions↗Every layer below draws on the sources above — open one to explore it, or use ← → to move between tabs.
Sesame ( or ; Sesamum indicum) is a flowering plant in the genus Sesamum, also called benne.Merriam-Webster Benne Numerous wild relatives occur in Africa and a smaller number in India. It is widely naturalized in tropical regions around the world and is cultivated for its edible seeds, which grow in pods. World production in 2018 was 6 e6MT, with Sudan, Myanmar, and India as the largest producers. Sesame seed is one of the oldest oilseed crops known, domesticated well over 3,000 years ago. Sesamum has many other species, most being wild and native to sub-Saharan Africa. S. indicum, the cultivated type, originated in India. It tolerates drought conditions well, growing where other crops fail. Sesame has one of the highest oil contents of any seed. With a rich, nutty flavor, it is a common ingredient in cuisines around the world. Like other foods, it can trigger allergic reactions in some people.
No narrative description available for this taxon yet.
Size & morphology20
Life cycle & reproduction8
Diet & foraging1
Habitat & environment14
Physiology & chemistry4
Other traits1
Compounds documented for Sesamum indicum across natural-product and food-composition databases — not just the ~150 nutrients on a classic label ("nutritional dark matter").
Compound class profile5 classes
Documented compounds6 003 total
| Compound | Class | Amount | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| CARBOHYDRATE | 593,000 ppm | DukesPhytochem | |
| FAT | 576,321 ppm | DukesPhytochem | |
| LINOLEIC-ACID | 500,000 ppm | DukesPhytochem | |
| OLEIC-ACID | 500,000 ppm | DukesPhytochem | |
| PROTEIN | 295,000 ppm | DukesPhytochem | |
| CEPHALIN | 233,856 ppm | DukesPhytochem |
A DNA barcode is a short, standardised stretch of genes that works like a fingerprint — enough to tell one species from another. Below is the molecular trace Sesamum indicum has left across the world's sequence archives.
At a glance
★ the standard DNA barcode for this group — the short region actually read to tell this species apart. The rest are extra genes sequenced along the way.
The complete instruction manual Sesamum indicum carries — its genome. We read it from three angles — how big it is, how the DNA is packed into chromosomes, and how completely it has been sequenced — and explain how to read each value as you go.
Genome sizehow big the whole instruction manual is
Measured in base pairs (bp) — the individual letters of DNA (human ≈ 3.2 Gb, a bacterium a few million). The chart places this genome on a logarithmic scale — each step to the right is ten times bigger — among reference organisms. Across species a bigger genome loosely tracks with larger cells, slower growth and lower-energy lifestyles (powered flight favours small genomes) — yet it does not imply more genes or a more advanced organism (the long-standing C-value paradox).
Chromosomes & ploidyhow the DNA is packaged
2n is the full chromosome count in a normal body cell; n is a gamete (egg or sperm), which carries half. Ploidy is how many complete chromosome sets each cell holds — 2× (diploid) is typical for animals, while higher levels (polyploidy) are common in plants. Click any value below to see the underlying records and sources.
2n 2618×GoaT · Kew Plant DNA C-values Database · CCDB · ipcn-api-dl · CCDB · eflora +4
2n 643×CCDB · book-fedorov · CCDB · book-atlas-flowering-plants · CCDB · kew
n 135×CCDB · iapt · CCDB · ipcn-api-dl · CCDB · book-ipcn75-78 +1
n 92×CCDB · ipcn-api-dl · CCDB · book-ipcn75-78
diploid1×GoaT · Kew Plant DNA C-values Database
diploid inferred1×PloiDB · genus-scale
Sequencing statusassembly quality — how far to trust these numbers
Assembly level tells you how finished the sequence is — from fragmented contigs, through scaffolds, up to a full chromosome-level assembly. BUSCO % estimates completeness: the share of genes expected to be present that were actually found. These describe the data quality, not the organism.
Record type3 227 records
Origin
Range
Wildobservation + sensor
Human sightings and records, or camera-trap / sensor detections — someone (or a device) saw or captured the species in the wild.
Museum / Voucheredphysical evidence
Backed by a physical specimen — a herbarium sheet, sample or voucher held in a collection. “Vouchered” means supported by material evidence, not just an observation.
Cultivated / Captivenot free-living
A living individual in a botanical garden, zoo or nursery — cultivated or kept, not free-living.
Wildobservation + sensor
Human sightings and records, or camera-trap / sensor detections — someone (or a device) saw or captured the species in the wild.
Holding institutions114 of 218 geolocated
Institutions and collections holding physical, vouchered specimens of this species — click a row to fly to it on the map.
| Institution | Specimens |
|---|---|
| Chapingo, MX | 87 |
| Saint Louis, US | 76 |
| Beijing, CN | 76 |
| Durango, MX | 66 |
| Palmerston, AU | 42 |
| Baroda, IN | 37 |
| Guangzhou, CN | 36 |
| Guilin, CN | 33 |
| MeiseBGlocation not on record | 28 |
| Kew, GB | 23 |
| Museo Entomologico de Leonlocation not on record | 16 |
| Mexico City, MX | 15 |
| Kunming, CN | 13 |
| Chengdu, CN | 13 |
| Paris, FR | 13 |
| Bronx, US | 12 |
| Canberra, AU | 12 |
| Yaoundé, CM | 11 |
| Yangling, CN | 11 |
| Strecker Museum, Baylor Universitylocation not on record | 11 |
| Nanjing, CN | 10 |
| WAGlocation not on record | 10 |
| Odawara, JP | 8 |
| Mount Annan, AU | 8 |
| Pondicherry, IN | 8 |
| HNBlocation not on record | 8 |
| Changsha, CN | 8 |
| 河南豫北黄河故道湿地鸟类国家级自然保护区location not on record | 8 |
| Moscow State Universitylocation not on record | 8 |
| Sanda, JP | 8 |
| Tampa, US | 7 |
| SLU Artdatabankenlocation not on record | 7 |
| Mérida, MX | 7 |
| Frankfurt am Main | 7 |
| St. Augustine, TT | 7 |
| Millersville, US | 6 |
| Embrapa Agrobiology Diazothrophic Microbial Culture Collectionlocation not on record | 6 |
| Berlin, DE | 6 |
| University of Stellenboschlocation not on record | 6 |
| Universidad de Caldas (UCaldas)location not on record | 6 |
| CEPLAClocation not on record | 6 |
| Austin, US | 6 |
| UFBAlocation not on record | 6 |
| Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznańlocation not on record | 6 |
| Istituto Agrario Castelnuovolocation not on record | 6 |
| Brisbane, AU | 6 |
| San Jose State University, Museum of Birds and Mammalslocation not on record | 6 |
| Mérida, MX | 5 |
| Tapachula, MX | 5 |
| Plocation not on record | 5 |
| Feira de Santana, BR | 5 |
| Leiden University Medical Centerlocation not on record | 5 |
| Laboratorio de Ictiologialocation not on record | 5 |
| Antiguo Cuscatlán, SV | 5 |
| Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique et Technologique / Institut de l'environnement et de recherches agricoleslocation not on record | 5 |
| Guangzhou, CN | 5 |
| Hangzhou, CN | 5 |
| UFPIlocation not on record | 4 |
| UEPAlocation not on record | 4 |
| Nishihara, JP | 4 |
| Xiamen, CN | 4 |
| Cenargenlocation not on record | 4 |
| TAIElocation not on record | 4 |
| Staten Island, US | 4 |
| Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia (INPA)location not on record | 4 |
| Université du Lomélocation not on record | 4 |
| Philadelphia, US | 4 |
| Valdosta State Universitylocation not on record | 3 |
| Seoul, KR | 3 |
| Elocation not on record | 3 |
| Mexico City, MX | 3 |
| 盐城国家级珍禽自然保护区location not on record | 3 |
| Austin, US | 3 |
| National Institute of Biological Resourceslocation not on record | 3 |
| Chongqing Museumlocation not on record | 3 |
| Universidad Juárez Autónoma de Tabascolocation not on record | 3 |
| LBVlocation not on record | 3 |
| MAlocation not on record | 3 |
| Institute for Agricultural Bacteriology and Fermentation Biologylocation not on record | 3 |
| FJIDClocation not on record | 3 |
| Bratislava, SK | 3 |
| Riverside, US | 3 |
| Guiyang, CN | 3 |
| Xian, CN | 3 |
| Ilhéus, BR | 3 |
| Nagasaki University - Fisherieslocation not on record | 3 |
| Kensington, AU | 3 |
| Empresa Pernambucana de Pesquisa Agropecuária, IPAlocation not on record | 3 |
| San Diego, US | 2 |
| Tuxtla Gutiérrez, MX | 2 |
| Xinxiang, CN | 2 |
| EL PASO, US | 2 |
| LDlocation not on record | 2 |
| Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldilocation not on record | 2 |
| John T. Waterhouse Herbariumlocation not on record | 2 |
| Stockholm, SE | 2 |
| Altos de Pipe, VE | 2 |
| Brasília, BR | 2 |
| Masindi, UG | 2 |
| UFMSlocation not on record | 2 |
| Campo Mourão, BR | 2 |
| Universidade Federal do Ceara, Departamento de Biologialocation not on record | 2 |
| UTFPR-CPlocation not on record | 2 |
| Gujarat Biodiversity Gene Banklocation not on record | 2 |
| Jishou Universitylocation not on record | 2 |
| BIO-UNIPIlocation not on record | 2 |
| UEMAlocation not on record | 2 |
| Burlington, US | 2 |
| Santarém, BR | 2 |
| Herbier National du Gabonlocation not on record | 2 |
| Jardín Botánico de Cartagena "Guillermo Piñeres" (JBC)location not on record | 2 |
| NAlocation not on record | 2 |
| ASUlocation not on record | 2 |
| Universidad Industrial de Santander (UIS)location not on record | 2 |
| Fort Worth, US | 2 |
| Lanzhou, CN | 2 |
| Chengdu, CN | 2 |
| Blumenau, BR | 2 |
| Uniwersytet Śląski w Katowicachlocation not on record | 2 |
| Canadian Department of Agriculturelocation not on record | 2 |
| Glocation not on record | 2 |
| Chaguaramas, TT | 2 |
| Barcelona, ES | 2 |
| Florida Museum of Natural History- Zoology, Paleontology & Paleobotanylocation not on record | 2 |
| San Francisco de Campeche, MX | 2 |
| Instituto de Investigação Científica Tropicallocation not on record | 2 |
| Cascavel, BR | 2 |
| Salvador, BR | 2 |
| UNEMATlocation not on record | 2 |
| Jena Microbial Resource Collectionlocation not on record | 2 |
| Cambridge University Herbariumlocation not on record | 2 |
| sxphclocation not on record | 2 |
| Managua, NI | 1 |
| Allentown, US | 1 |
| Pretoria, ZA | 1 |
| Montecillo, Texcoco, MX | 1 |
| JBRJlocation not on record | 1 |
| Montréal, CA | 1 |
| Philadelphia, US | 1 |
| UNICAMPlocation not on record | 1 |
| Hermosillo, MX | 1 |
| Natural History Museum Rotterdamlocation not on record | 1 |
| Shanghai, CN | 1 |
| Wuhan, CN | 1 |
| Sociedad para el Estudio de los Recursos Bióticos de Oaxaca, A. C.location not on record | 1 |
| Universidade Federal de Sergipe (UFS)location not on record | 1 |
| Giardini Botanici Hanburylocation not on record | 1 |
| Universidad de Guayaquillocation not on record | 1 |
| Museo de Historia Natural de El Salvadorlocation not on record | 1 |
| UChlocation not on record | 1 |
| AUAlocation not on record | 1 |
| Université National du Béninlocation not on record | 1 |
| Station d'Ecologie de Lamtolocation not on record | 1 |
| Puerto Ayora, EC | 1 |
| IECOSlocation not on record | 1 |
| BClocation not on record | 1 |
| La Paz, BO | 1 |
| Phoenix, US | 1 |
| N.I.Vavilov Institute of Plant Genetic Resources (VIR)location not on record | 1 |
| Universidad Nacional de Colombia (UNAL)location not on record | 1 |
| Teresina, BR | 1 |
| Aarhus, DK | 1 |
| Parc Botanique et Zoologique de Tsimbazaza (PBZT)location not on record | 1 |
| Tuxtla Gutiérrez, MX | 1 |
| Lubbock, US | 1 |
| South Kensington, GB | 1 |
| Maringá, BR | 1 |
| Madison, US | 1 |
| Santa Barbara, US | 1 |
| KR | 1 |
| Jiujiang Forestry Institutelocation not on record | 1 |
| UNITINSlocation not on record | 1 |
| Dresden, DE | 1 |
| FFPRIlocation not on record | 1 |
| Porto Velho, BR | 1 |
| Chiba, JP | 1 |
| Qarshi Botanical Gardenlocation not on record | 1 |
| Institut fur Allgemeine Mikrobiologielocation not on record | 1 |
| UDESC-CAVlocation not on record | 1 |
| Ivano-Frankivsk, UA | 1 |
| Centre Suisse de Recherches Scientifiques en Côte d’Ivoirelocation not on record | 1 |
| WTUlocation not on record | 1 |
| Tuscaloosa, US | 1 |
| UTFPR-DVlocation not on record | 1 |
| USP-IBlocation not on record | 1 |
| Mississippi State, US | 1 |
| UnBlocation not on record | 1 |
| Zürich, CH | 1 |
| Bangkok, TH | 1 |
| Smithfield, AU | 1 |
| Cuiabá, BR | 1 |
| Zürich, CH | 1 |
| ifplocation not on record | 1 |
| Fortaleza, BR | 1 |
| 云南省思茅市民族传统医药研究所location not on record | 1 |
| Zhejiang Universitylocation not on record | 1 |
| Yunnan Universitylocation not on record | 1 |
| Tsukuba, JP | 1 |
| La Paz, MX | 1 |
| Xining, CN | 1 |
| CNF-UFHBlocation not on record | 1 |
| Shanxi Institute of Biologylocation not on record | 1 |
| Awka, NG | 1 |
| HUFDlocation not on record | 1 |
| FJFClocation not on record | 1 |
| Xian, CN | 1 |
| JP | 1 |
| Wuhan, CN | 1 |
| Juriquilla, MX | 1 |
| Servico de Microbiologia e Imunologialocation not on record | 1 |
| PUC-RSlocation not on record | 1 |
| Columbia, US | 1 |
| Alicante, ES | 1 |
| Institute of Applied Ecology, Academia Sinicalocation not on record | 1 |
| Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Scienceslocation not on record | 1 |
| IPA/SPlocation not on record | 1 |
| Adelaide, AU | 1 |
| BMlocation not on record | 1 |
Cultivated / Captivenot free-living
A living individual in a botanical garden, zoo or nursery — cultivated or kept, not free-living.
Where the DNA of Sesamum indicum was picked up in samples of water, soil or air — nobody saw the organism, only its DNA left behind. A trace is a clue that the species was near, not a confirmed sighting.
Signal
Where its DNA was found
How strong is each trace?
Measured at samplingin-field
Modelled climatemodelled
How to read this: each dot is one detection of this species' DNA in an environmental sample. The confidence meter weighs how many independent studies and places back up the signal — one detection in one study is a hint; many across several studies is solid. Records dated before 2008 (when eDNA methods began) are treated as likely mislabeled and left off the map.