Italian sorgo – medieval Latin surgum, suricum, probably from frumentum syriacum, Syrian Corn.
Tall annual or perennial grass. Leaves linear-lanceolate, flat, rolled in bud. Ligule membranous or hairy. Inflorescence a branched panicle, open to closed. Spikelets in 2-7 pairs, 1 stalkless and fertile, the other stalked and sterile, the terminal spikelets in 3s. Stalkless spikelet flattened and with 2 florets, upper bisexual, lower sterile. Glumes 2, more or less equal, the lower glume not 2-keeled, 5-11 nerved, upper glume 3-11 nerved. Lemmas 1-3 nerved. Palea nerveless or 2-nerved.
S. almum and S. halepense are significant weed species.
Seed.
A major food source for both humans and cattle. Also used for making brooms.
Inflorescence a panicle of short branches, each of 2-7 pairs of mostly awned spikelets.
About 50 species from the Old World (tropical and subtropical). Australia has 15 native species.
Lazarides et al. (1991).
Source: (2005). Poaceae. In: . Horticultural Flora of South-eastern Australia. Volume 5. Flowering plants. Monocotyledons. The identification of garden and cultivated plants. University of New South Wales Press.
