Higher classification Andropogoneae | Scientific name Saccharum Rank Genus | |
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Lower classifications Saccharum officinarum, Saccharum spontaneum, Saccharum ravennae | ||
Kans grass kashful saccharum spontaneum
Saccharum is a genus of tall perennial plants of the broomsedge tribe within the grass family.
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The genus is widespread across tropical, subtropical, and warm temperate regions in Africa, Eurasia, Australia, the Americas, and assorted oceanic islands. Several species are cultivated and naturalized in areas outside their native habitats.
Saccharum includes the sugarcanes, as well as several ornamental grasses such as Ravenna grass. They have stout, jointed, fibrous stalks that are generally rich in sugar, and measure two to six m (6 to 19 ft) tall. All sugar cane species interbreed and the major commercial cultivars are complex hybrids.
- Saccharum alopecuroidum (L.) Nutt. - southeastern USA
- Saccharum angustifolium (Nees) Trin. - South America
- Saccharum arundinaceum Retz. - East + South + Southeast Asia; New Guinea
- Saccharum asperum (Nees) Steud. - South America
- Saccharum baldwinii Spreng. - southeastern USA
- Saccharum beccarii (Stapf) Cope - Sumatra
- Saccharum bengalense Retz. - India, Pakistan, Iran, Afghanistan
- 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 hildebrandtii (Hack.) Clayton - Madagascar
- Saccharum kajkaiense (Melderis) Melderis - Oman, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan
- Saccharum kanashiroi (Ohwi) Ohwi - Nansei-shoto
- 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 perrieri (A.Camus) Clayton. - Madagascar
- Saccharum procerum Roxb. - China, Himalayas, Indochina
- Saccharum ravennae (L.) L. - Europe, Asia, Africa
- 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 spontaneum L. - Asia, Africa, Sicily, Papuasia
- Saccharum stewartii Rajesw., R.R.Rao & Arti Garg - western Himalayas
- Saccharum strictum (Host) Spreng. - from Italy to Iran
- Saccharum velutinum (Holttum) Cope - Peninsular Malaysia
- Saccharum viguieri (A.Camus) Clayton - Madagascar
- Saccharum villosum Steud. - South America, Mesoamerica
- Saccharum wardii (Bor) Bor ex Cope - Assam, Bhutan, Myanmar
- Saccharum williamsii (Bor) Bor ex Cope - Nepal
Acer saccharum
Formerly included
Numerous species are now considered better suited in other genera: Andropogon, Chloris, Digitaria, Eriochrysis, Eulalia, Gynerium, Hemarthria, Imperata, Lasiurus, Lophopogon, Melinis, Miscanthus, Panicum, Pappophorum, Paspalum, Perotis, Pogonatherum, Pseudopogonatherum, Spodiopogon, and Tricholaena.
