Sorghum versicolor Andersson

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Photo: Bart Wursten
Along road near Khodzue Gorge Camp

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Synonyms:	Andropogon serratus Thunb. var. versicolor (Andersson) Hack. Sorghum purpureo-sericeum (Hochst. ex A. Rich.) Asch. & Schweinf. var. trinervatum Chiov.
Common names:
Frequency:
Status:	Native
Description:	Tall annual laxly tufted grass with culms up to 250 cm high; nodes with a conspicuous ring of long, spreading, silky white hairs; leaf sheaths glabrous except for a beard of long cilia at the mouth. Leaves linear, 10–30 cm long, hairy on both surfaces or occasionally only beneath. Inflorescence an open, simple-branched panicle up to 25 cm long; rhachis internodes and pedicels with long hairs. Spikelets with glumes glossy reddish-brown to black, hairy on the back; awn up to 40 mm long, twisted.
Notes:	The dark brown to almost black spikelets and the prominent ring of stiff white hairs around the nodes are very distinct characteristics of this grass.
Derivation of specific name:	versicolor: variously coloured or changing in colour
Habitat:	In deciduous woodland and wooded grassland, often on waterlogged, black soils and in disturbed places.
Flowering time:
Worldwide distribution:	Mali, Sudan, Ethiopia, Somalia, Kenya, Tanzania, Burundi, Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Namibia and Angola. Also in Jemen.
Botswana distribution:	N,SW,SE
Growth form(s):
Endemic status:
Red data list status:
Insects associated with this species:
Spot characters:	Display spot characters for this species
Content last updated:	Monday 18 September 2017
Literature:	Chapano, C. & Mamuto, M. (2003). Plants of the Chimanimani District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 52. Chapano, C. & Mugarisanwa, N.H. (2003). Plants of the Matobo District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 33. Cope, T.A. (2002). Poaceae Flora Zambesiaca 10(4) Pages 25 - 27. (Includes a picture). Da Silva, M.C., Izidine, S. & Amude, A.B. (2004). A preliminary checklist of the vascular plants of Mozambique. Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 30 Sabonet, Pretoria Page 140. Jackson, G. & Wiehe, P.O. (1958). An Annotated Check List of Nyasaland Grasses The Government Printer, Zomba, Nyasaland Page 60. Mapaura, A. & Timberlake, J. (eds) (2004). A checklist of Zimbabwean vascular plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 33 Sabonet, Pretoria and Harare Page 110. Phiri, P.S.M. (2005). A Checklist of Zambian Vascular Plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 32 Page 135. Setshogo, M.P. (2000). Notes on the grass subtribe Sorghinae (Poaceae: Andropogoneae) in the Flora Zambesiaca area Kirkia 17(2) Page 139. Setshogo, M.P. (2005). Preliminary checklist of the plants of Botswana. Sabonet Report no. 37. Sabonet, Pretoria and Gaborone Page 145. Van Oudtshoorn, F.P. (1992). Grasses of South Africa Briza Publications, South Africa Page 114. (Includes a picture).

Other sources of information about Sorghum versicolor:

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Flora of Burundi: Sorghum versicolor
Flora of Malawi: Sorghum versicolor
Flora of Mozambique: Sorghum versicolor
Flora of Zambia: Sorghum versicolor
Flora of Zimbabwe: Sorghum versicolor

External websites:

African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Sorghum versicolor
African Plant Database: Sorghum versicolor
BHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library): Sorghum versicolor
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Sorghum versicolor
GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility): Sorghum versicolor
Google: Web - Images - Scholar
iNaturalist: Sorghum versicolor
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Sorghum versicolor
JSTOR Plant Science: Sorghum versicolor
Mansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: Sorghum versicolor
Plants of the World Online: Sorghum versicolor
Tropicos: Sorghum versicolor
Wikipedia: Sorghum versicolor