''Saccharum'' is a genus of tall
perennial plants of the
broomsedge tribe within the
grass family
Poaceae () or Gramineae () is a large and nearly ubiquitous family of monocotyledonous flowering plants commonly known as grasses. It includes the cereal grasses, bamboos and the grasses of natural grassland and species cultivated in lawns and ...
.
The genus is widespread across tropical, subtropical, and warm temperate regions in
Africa,
Eurasia,
Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...
, the
Americas
The Americas, which are sometimes collectively called America, are a landmass comprising the totality of North and South America. The Americas make up most of the land in Earth's Western Hemisphere and comprise the New World.
Along with th ...
, and assorted oceanic islands. Several species are cultivated and naturalized in areas outside their native habitats.
[Welker, C. A. D. & H. M. Longhi-Wagner. 2012. The genera ''Eriochrysis'' P. Beauv., ''Imperata'' Cirillo and ''Saccharum'' L. (Poaceae - Andropogoneae - Saccharinae) in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Brazilian Journal of Botany 35(1): 87–105.]
''Saccharum'' includes the sugarcane
Sugarcane or sugar cane is a species of (often hybrid) tall, Perennial plant, perennial grass (in the genus ''Saccharum'', tribe Andropogoneae) that is used for sugar Sugar industry, production. The plants are 2–6 m (6–20 ft) tall with ...
s. They have stout, jointed, fibrous stalks that are generally rich in sugar
Sugar is the generic name for sweet-tasting, soluble carbohydrates, many of which are used in food. Simple sugars, also called monosaccharides, include glucose, fructose, and galactose. Compound sugars, also called disaccharides or double ...
, and measure two to six m (6 to 19 ft) tall. All sugarcane species interbreed and the major commercial cultivars are complex hybrids.
Species
, Plants of the World Online
Plants of the World Online (POWO) is an online database published by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. It was launched in March 2017 with the ultimate aim being "to enable users to access information on all the world's known seed-bearing plants by ...
accepted the following species:[
* '' Saccharum alopecuroidum'' (L.) Nutt. - southeastern USA
* '' Saccharum angustifolium'' (Nees) Trin. - South America
* '' Saccharum asperum'' (Nees) Steud. - South America
* '' Saccharum baldwinii'' Spreng. - southeastern USA
* '' Saccharum beccarii'' (Stapf) Cope - Sumatra
* '' Saccharum brevibarbe'' (Michx.) Pers. - southeastern USA
* '' Saccharum coarctatum'' (Fern.) R. Webster - southeastern USA
* '' Saccharum contortum'' (Baldwin ex Elliott) Nutt. - southeastern USA
* '' Saccharum fallax'' Balansa - China, Assam, southeast Asia
* '' Saccharum filifolium'' Steud. - Afghanistan, Himalayas
* '' Saccharum formosanum'' (Stapf) Ohwi - southern China
* '' Saccharum giganteum'' (Walt.) Pers. - southeastern USA, Cuba, Jamaica, Paraguay, Argentina
* '' Saccharum griffithii'' Munro ex Aitch. - from Yemen to Bangladesh
* '' Saccharum intermedium'' Welker & Peichoto
* '' Saccharum kajkaiense'' (Melderis) Melderis - Oman, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan
* '' Saccharum longesetosum'' (Andersson) V.Naray. ex Bor - China, Himalayas, Indochina
* '' Saccharum maximum'' (Brongn.) Trin. - Pacific Islands
* '' Saccharum narenga'' (Nees ex Steud.) Hack. - China, Indian Subcontinent, Indochina, Ethiopia
* '' Saccharum officinarum'' L. - New Guinea; naturalized in many warm places
* '' Saccharum robustum'' Brandes & Jesw. ex Grassl - New Guinea
* '' Saccharum rufipilum'' Steud. - China, Indian Subcontinent, Indochina
* '' Saccharum sikkimense'' (Hook.f.) V.Naray. ex Bor - eastern Himalayas
* ''Saccharum'' × ''sinense'' Roxb. – China
* '' Saccharum spontaneum'' L. - Asia, Africa, Sicily, Papuasia
* '' Saccharum stewartii'' Rajesw., R.R.Rao & Arti Garg - western Himalayas
* '' Saccharum velutinum'' (Holttum) Cope - Peninsular Malaysia
* '' Saccharum villosum'' Steud. - South America, Mesoamerica
* '' Saccharum wardii'' (Bor) Bor ex Cope - Assam, Bhutan, Myanmar
* '' Saccharum williamsii'' (Bor) Bor ex Cope - Nepal
Placed in '' Lasiorhachis'' by Plants of the World Online :]
Formerly included
Numerous species are now considered better suited in other genera: ''Andropogon
''Andropogon'' ( common names: beard grass, bluestem grass, broomsedge) is a widespread genus of plants in the grass family, native to much of Asia, Africa, and the Americas, as well as southern Europe and various oceanic islands.
Over 100 spec ...
, Chloris
In Greek mythology, the name Chloris (; Greek Χλωρίς ''Chlōrís'', from χλωρός ''chlōrós'', meaning "greenish-yellow", "pale green", "pale", "pallid", or "fresh") appears in a variety of contexts. Some clearly refer to different char ...
, Digitaria, Eriochrysis, Eulalia, Gynerium, Hemarthria, Imperata, Lophopogon, Melinis, Miscanthus
''Miscanthus'', or silvergrass, is a genus of African, Eurasian, and Pacific Island plants in the grass family, Poaceae.
; Species
* ''Miscanthus changii'' Y.N.Lee – Korea
* ''Miscanthus depauperatus'' Merr. – the Philippines
* ''Miscanthus ...
, Panicum, Pappophorum, Paspalum, Perotis, Pogonatherum, Pseudopogonatherum, Spodiopogon, and Tricholaena
''Tricholaena'' is a genus of Asian, African, and Italian plants in the grass family.
; Species
* ''Tricholaena capensis'' (Licht. ex Roem. & Schult.) Nees - Free State, Namibia, Cape Province
* ''Tricholaena monachne'' (Trin.) Stapf & C. ...
''.[
]
See also
* Domesticated plants and animals of Austronesia
References
External links
{{Taxonbar, from=Q17136949
Poaceae genera