It has an erect, branched stem covered with glandular hairs. The lower leaves are petioled and round; the middle are large, toothed, broadly lanceolate, on long petioles; the upper leaves are short-tailed, narrowly lanceolate, and entire-edged.
Indian sesame flowers are white or purple with red spots. They are large (up to 3 cm long) and self-pollinating.
The fruit is 4-, 6- or 8-seeded, green, heavily mossy bags, which burst when ripe. The pouch contains about 80 seeds.
The seeds are flat and opaque with variable colors from white, which is the most prized, to almost black.
