ABSTRACT
Nigerseed (Guizotia abyssinica Cass) belongs to the family Compositae and is known by various names such as noog in Ethiopia and as Ram-til or Kala-til in India. It is an annual herb and the basic chromosome number is 15 pairs (2n = 30). 1 A single plant may bear 20 to 40 or more capitula. Generally the flowers are cross-pollinated, but a certain degree of self-pollination is also likely. The seed is an achene which is glabrous, dorsally compressed, with tips rounded. The oil content of the seed may range from 38 to 50%.
