Shattercane, Sorghum bicolor
Family: Poaceae; Grass Family
Vegetative Characteristics:
Seedling: leaf sheath pubescent or glabrous, blade often pubescent at base on both surfaces; ligule a fringed membrane
Stems: erect, 2.0-5.0 m or more tall, slender or robust
Leaves: blade flat, 13.0-75.0 cm long, 0.5-7.0 cm wide, glabrous or pubescent; sheaths glabrous to pubescent; ligule membranous early in season, to 2.6 mm long, fringed with trichomes to 1.3 mm long late in season
Reproductive Characteristics:
Inflorescences: open panicle, 40.0-60.0 cm long, 15.0-40.0 cm wide, branches slightly ascending to somewhat pendulous; spikelets 2-flowered, in pairs: one sessile and fertile, 4.9-7.7 mm long and 1.8-2.7 mm wide, the other pediceled and sterile or staminate; glumes thin or firm, about as long as spikelet, pubescent; lemma similar to sessile spikelet; lower lemma 4.5-6.4 mm long, usually with awn 4.0-7.0 mm long; upper lemma slightly shorter, awnless; palea thin, as long as lemma.
Fruits: caryopsis, oval, 5.0-6.2 mm long, tan to brown, shed with sessile and pediceled spikelets attached
Special Identifying Characteristics:
⇒ large annual, height exceeding 5.0 m; prop roots; ligule membranous early then fringed with trichomes; inflorescence large, open; spikelets pubescent, awned, falling easily and early
