Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench

Spice In the field In the field 1

Family: GRAMINEAE (POACEAE)

Genus: Sorghum

Sinònims: Sorghum vulgare Pers.

Catalan common name: Canyet. Dacsa de bou. Melca. Mill de les Índies.

Spanish common name: Sorgo. Trigo de Guinea.

Province distribution: Alacant. Balearic Islands. Barcelona. Castelló. Girona. Tarragona. València.

Distribution in the islands: Mallorca. Menorca.

General distribution (Phytogeography): Paleotropical

Flowering time: JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

Life-forms: Terophyte.

Habitats: Cultivated fields, path and road sides, disturbed zones. Cultivated species. Cultivated specie and sometimes subespontaneous.

Characteristics: A gramene which can reach up to three metres in height, although it is normally smaller, with leaves btoader than two centimetres. It is a plant that is grown as fodder and that we can find naturalised along fields and path-sides. If we do not pay attention to the breadth of leaves we can mistake it for small sweetcorn plants (Zea mays), especially if they are not in flower since both inflorescences are very different: Zea mays forms male flowers at the top of the plant and female ones at the axils of the leaves. It flowers in summer and autumn.