Topic
Ceratotheca
About: Ceratotheca is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 7 publications have been published within this topic receiving 75 citations.
Papers
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TL;DR: In this paper, a cultural, ecological, economic, geographical and historical study of the close wild relatives of sesame in Africa is presented along with ethnographic and linguistic data along with a summary of the genetic resources of Sesamum.
Abstract: This is a cultural, ecological, economic, geographical and historical study of the close wild relatives of sesame in Africa. Medical, culinary, cosmetic and industrial use of each species is assembled along with ethnographic and linguistic data. Collectively, it presents a summary of the genetic resources of Sesamum. The relative importance of each species varies by location, however most of these taxa are used in strikingly similar ways by subsistence farmers. Comparison of usage by ethnic group reveals the social role these valuable leaf vegetables play in daily life, particularly during times of shortage and famine. Fieldwork provides firsthand data, supplementing herbarium specimens and the published literature about the distribution, uses and environmental adaptations of wild Sesamum species and their close relative, Ceratotheca sesamoides Endl.
35 citations
23 citations
TL;DR: The review aims to highlight the unexplored nutritional and pharmacological potential of African indigenous leafy vegetables Ceratotheca sesamoides and triloba in order to conserve and domesticate these species.
10 citations
10 citations
TL;DR: The usage and cultural importance of wild and weedy edible leaves of wild relatives of sesame, Ceratotheca and Sesamum in Africa, is reported from herbarium records, published sources, and firsthand observations.
Abstract: The usage and cultural importance of wild and weedy edible leaves of wild relatives of sesame, Ceratotheca and Sesamum in Africa, is reported from herbarium records, published sources, and firsthand observations. They contribute not only nutritionally—protein, lipid, and micronutrients, especially calcium and iron—but release a little scrutinized valuable product, water-soluble polysaccharide mucilage, that serves as a source of fiber and provides beneficial dietary bulk, enhances gastrointestinal function, alleviates constipation, protects against diabetes, and lowers cholesterol. Dissimilar genera and species are used in similar ways. Their utility was discovered by women gathering edible leaves to accompany dry cereal staples. African vernacular names from several disparate cultures refer to their slimy consistency. Corresponding nutritional and mucilage constituents of several other popular African vegetables are evaluated for comparison.
5 citations