Poaceae
Saccharum

Saccharum maximum (Brongn.) Trin.

First published in Mém. Acad. Imp. Sci. Saint-Pétersbourg, Sér. 6, Sci. Math., Seconde Pt. Sci. Nat. 4(2, Bot.): 92 (1836)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is S. Pacific. It is a perennial or rhizomatous geophyte and grows primarily in the wet tropical biome.

Descriptions

Morphology General Habit
Perennial. Culms erect; robust; 200-500 cm long. Ligule a ciliolate membrane. Leaf-blades 35-70 cm long; 20-30 mm wide.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence a panicle with branches tipped by a raceme. Panicle open; ovate; 30-40 cm long. Rhachis fragile at the nodes; subterete; pilose on surface. Rhachis internodes linear; 1.1-1.2 length of fertile spikelet. Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets sessile and pedicelled; 2 in the cluster; subequal. Pedicels linear; 0.5 length of internode; ciliate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets
Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; dorsally compressed; 4-4.5 mm long; falling entire; deciduous from the base, or with accessory branch structures. Spikelet callus bearded; base truncate. Spikelet callus hairs white; 1.5-2 length of spikelet.
Fertile
Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; dorsally compressed; 4-4.5 mm long; falling entire; deciduous from the base, or with accessory branch structures. Spikelet callus bearded; base truncate. Spikelet callus hairs white; 1.5-2 length of spikelet.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume
Glumes similar; firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 1 length of spikelet; coriaceous; much thinner above; 2-keeled. Lower glume primary vein scabrous. Lower glume surface flat; glabrous. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; 1 length of spikelet; coriaceous; much thinner above; without keels; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets
Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret lanceolate; hyaline; acute; mucronate. Fertile lemma linear; hyaline; 1 -veined. Lemma apex awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn curved; 0.5-4 mm long overall. Palea 0.5 length of lemma. Palea keels ciliolate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Lodicules 2; cuneate. Anthers 3.
Distribution
Pacific: southwestern and south-central.
Reference
Andropogoneae. Brown 1994.
[GB]

Extinction risk predictions for the world's flowering plants to support their conservation (2024). Bachman, S.P., Brown, M.J.M., Leão, T.C.C., Lughadha, E.N., Walker, B.E. https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/nph.19592

Conservation
Predicted extinction risk: not threatened. Confidence: confident
[AERP]

Sources

  • Angiosperm Extinction Risk Predictions v1

    • Angiosperm Threat Predictions
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0

  • GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora

    • Clayton, W.D., Vorontsova, M.S., Harman, K.T. and Williamson, H. (2006 onwards). GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora.
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Herbarium Catalogue Specimens

    • Digital Image © Board of Trustees, RBG Kew http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

  • Kew Backbone Distributions

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2026. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2026. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0