Great millet
Sorghum bicolor
Synonyms: Sorghum margaritiferum, Panicum frumentaceum, Sorghum melanocarpum, Andropogon vulgaris, Sorghum notabile, Andropogon sorghum var. amphibolus, Holcus nigerrimus, Sorghum technicum, Sorghum dochna var. pulchrum, Sorghum anomalum, Sorghum cernuum var. subcylindricum, Andropogon sorghum var. cernuus, Andropogon sorghum var. irungu, Andropogon sorghum var. vulgaris, Sorghum usorum, Sorghum gambicum, Sorghum eplicatum f. dichrolepis, Holcus saccharatus, Sorghum rollii, Sorghum nigrum, Andropogon sorghum var. agricolarum, Andropogon sorghum var. hians, Sorghum roxburghii var. fulvum, Andropogon sorghum var. rufescens, Sorghum durra var. aegyptiacum, Andropogon sorghum var. coimbatoricus, Sorghum melaleucum, Milium compactum, Holcus arduinoi, Andropogon sorghum var. dochna, Andropogon sorghum var. jucundus, Milium nigricans, Sorghum bicolor var. caffrorum, Sorghum saccharatum var. burmanicum, Sorghum roxburghii var. farinosum, Panicum sacchariferum, Sorghum cernuum, Sorghum roxburghii var. hians, Sorghum tataricum, Sorghum durra, Sorghum saccharatum var. irungu, Sorghum subglabrescens var. rubrocernuum, Sorghum centroplicatum var. faregg, Sorghum durra var. fecundum, Holcus duna, Sorghum coriaceum, Andropogon sorghum subvar. fuscescens, Sorghum vulgare var. nigricans, Sorghum nigericum, Sorghum papyrascens var. lateritium, Sorghum centroplicatum var. incertum, Andropogon sorghum f. pallidus, Sorghum vulgare var. angolense, Sorghum centroplicatum var. sabderatense, Andropogon sorghum var. hybridus, Sorghum basiplicatum var. paniculatellum, Sorghum eplicatum var. melanoleucum, Sorghum vulgare var. saccharatum, Sorghum centroplicatum var. erythromelas, Sorghum halepense var. saccharatum, Sorghum basiplicatum var. pseudoanfetum, Andropogon sorghum var. glaberrimus, Andropogon sorghum var. saccharatus, Sorghum roxburghii, Andropogon sorghum var. eois, Sorghum mellitum, Andropogon sorghum var. schumannii, Sorghum eplicatum var. erythrocarpum, Sorghum vulgare var. durra, Sorghum saccharatum var. atrum, Sorghum subglabrescens var. latum, Sorghum saccharatum var. formosum, Andropogon sorghum var. charisianus, Sorghum miliiforme, Sorghum nankinense, Andropogon sorghum var. arduinii, Andropogon sorghum var. ovatoellipticus, Sorghum subglabrescens var. paniculatellum, Holcus dora, Sorghum elegans, Andropogon sorghum subvar. pallidus, Holcus rubens, Andropogon compactus, Sorghum basiplicatum f. eburneum, Andropogon sorghum var. leiostachyus, Sorghum membranaceum var. baldratianum, Sorghum subglabrescens var. rubidum, Andropogon sorghum var. durra, Sorghum saccharatum var. obovatum, Sorghum arduinoi, Sorghum bicolor var. subglobosum, Sorghum subglabrescens var. microcarpum, Andropogon sorghum var. pulcher, Sorghum eplicatum f. laxum, Sorghum compactum, Sorghum bicolor var. rotundulum, Sorghum dochna var. wightii, Andropogon sorghum var. roxburghii, Andropogon sorghum var. miliiformis, Sorghum rubens, Sorghum membranaceum, Sorghum giganteum, Andropogon sorghum var. obovatus, Sorghum caudatum var. aristatum, Sorghum centroplicatum var. pallidocernuum, Sorghum basiplicatum var. atropaniculatum, Andropogon sorghum subvar. albidus, Andropogon sorghum var. kerstingianus, Andropogon sorghum var. niger, Andropogon sorghum var. leucospermus, Andropogon sorghum var. caudatus, Sorghum vulgare var. technicum, Sorghum splendidum, Sorghum centroplicatum var. ellipsoideum, Andropogon sorghum var. aethiops, Andropogon bicolor, Sorghum saccharatum var. bicolor, Sorghum bicolor var. saccharatum, Sorghum basiplicatum, Andropogon sorghum var. arabicus, Sorghum vulgare var. roxburghii, Sorghum dulcicaule var. griseolilacinum, Sorghum caudatum, Sorghum centroplicatum var. alborubrum, Holcus sorghum, Sorghum dochna var. atrum, Sorghum conspicuum var. usaramense, Sorghum durra var. rivulare, Sorghum nigricans var. angolense, Sorghum basiplicatum var. pallescens, Andropogon rubens, Andropogon sorghum var. usaramensis, Sorghum membranaceum var. lateritium, Sorghum truchmenorum, Sorghum roxburghii var. jucundum, Sorghum saccharatum var. melliferum, Sorghum roxburghii var. parvum, Andropogon sorghum var. subglobosus, Sorghum bicolor var. cernuum, Sorghum subglabrescens var. arabicum, Andropogon sorghum var. burmanicus, Andropogon besseri, Sorghum eplicatum f. geminatum, Sorghum saccharatum var. vulgare, Sorghum centroplicatum var. globosum, Sorghum dora, Sorghum dochna var. formosum, Sorghum bicolor var. subglabrescens, Andropogon sorghum var. ehrenbergianus, Andropogon sorghum, Sorghum cernuum var. truchmenorum, Sorghum durra var. maximum, Sorghum saccharatum, Andropogon sorghum var. abyssinicus, Sorghum glycychylum, Sorghum roxburghii var. semiclausum, Sorghum eplicatum var. cereum, Andropogon sorghum var. cafer, Andropogon sorghum var. rubrocernuus, Andropogon sorghum var. elegans, Andropogon sorghum var. hirsutus, Sorghum sorghum, Sorghum pyramidale, Sorghum dochna var. irungu, Sorghum basutorum, Sorghum centroplicatum var. dubium, Sorghum basiplicatum var. rubrogeminum, Andropogon sorghum var. schenkii, Sorghum eplicatum var. fiorii, Sorghum bicolor var. miliiforme, Holcus dochna, Sorghum centroplicatum, Andropogon truchmenorum, Andropogon sorghum var. densissimus, Sorghum eplicatum var. heterochromum, Andropogon sorghum var. irungiformis, Sorghum basiplicatum f. leucolepis, Sorghum schimperi, Andropogon sorghum subvar. badius, Sorghum bicolor var. technicum, Sorghum centroplicatum var. pseudoneesii, Sorghum saccharatum var. technicum, Andropogon sorghum var. globosus, Sorghum vulgare var. nervosum, Sorghum caudatum var. angolense, Andropogon sorghum var. nervosus, Andropogon sorghum var. intermedius, Sorghum guineense, Sorghum bicolor var. sikkimense, Sorghum caudatum var. dicarpum, Sorghum cernuum var. yemense, Andropogon sorghum var. rubens, Holcus caffrorum, Sorghum bicolor var. exaristatum, Sorghum nervosum, Sorghum subglabrescens var. compactum, Andropogon sorghum var. baumannii, Sorghum cernuum var. agricolarum, Andropogon sorghum subvar. splendidus, Holcus ferrugineus, Holcus albus, Andropogon sorghum var. schimperi, Sorghum bicolor var. cafer, Andropogon sorghum subvar. japonicus, Sorghum abyssinicum, Sorghum durra var. eois, Andropogon sorghum var. rugulosus, Sorghum saccharatum var. rubens, Sorghum vulgare var. bicolor, Sorghum caffrorum var. albofuscum, Holcus bicolor, Sorghum centroplicatum var. tricolor, Andropogon usorum, Andropogon sorghum var. nitidus, Andropogon sorghum var. calcareus, Sorghum eplicatum, Sorghum vulgare var. cernuum, Sorghum basiplicatum f. jodolepis, Sorghum durra var. elongatum, Andropogon sorghum subvar. fragilis, Sorghum sativum, Andropogon sorghum var. javanicus, Sorghum basiplicatum var. subflavescens, Sorghum saccharatum var. pulchrum, Sorghum dochna var. melliferum, Sorghum cernuum var. orbiculatum, Sorghum bicolor var. obovatum, Andropogon sorghum var. albofuscus, Sorghum caudatum var. coffeatum, Milium bicolor, Sorghum membranaceum var. ehrenbergianum, Sorghum dochna, Sorghum subglabrescens var. irungiforme, Andropogon sorghum subvar. sulfureus, Agrostis nigricans, Andropogon sorghum var. melanospermus, Holcus cafer, Andropogon sorghum var. ovulifer, Sorghum roxburghii var. nanum, Sorghum dochna var. corymbosum, Andropogon sorghum subvar. aethiops, Andropogon sorghum var. submuticus, Andropogon sorghum var. campanus, Sorghum negrosense, Andropogon sorghum var. aegyptiacus, Sorghum vulgare var. rubens, Sorghum cernuum var. armeniacum, Sorghum saccharatum var. papyraceum, Sorghum commune, Sorghum exsertum, Sorghum basiplicatum var. microcarpum, Sorghum vulgare, Andropogon sorghum var. bicolor, Andropogon sorghum var. compactus, Sorghum centroplicatum var. subcarneum, Andropogon sorghum var. neesii, Andropogon niger, Sorghum papyrascens, Sorghum caffrorum, Sorghum ankolib, Andropogon sorghum subvar. niger, Sorghum caffrorum var. bicarinatum, Sorghum subglabrescens var. rugulosum, Sorghum medioplicatum, Sorghum subglabrescens var. oviforme, Milium sorgo, Holcus sorghum var. caffrorum, Holcus compactus, Sorghum subglabrescens var. pabulare, Andropogon sorghum var. fulvus, Sorghum miliiforme var. sikkimense, Sorghum halepense subsp. sativum, Sorghum cernuum var. globosum, Sorghum album, Milium maximum, Rhaphis sorghum, Sorghum vulgare subsp. bicolor, Sorghum simulans, Sorghum durra var. coimbatoricum, Holcus sorghum var. saccharatus, Andropogon sorghum var. ankolib, Sorghum dochna var. technicum, Andropogon sorghum var. wightii, Sorghum conspicuum var. orientale, Sorghum roxburghii var. mutabile, Sorghum centroplicatum var. perlarium, Sorghum subglabrescens, Andropogon sorghum var. bicarinatus, Andropogon sorghum var. ondongae, Sorghum durra var. javanicum, Sorghum eplicatum var. virescens, Sorghum dulcicaule, Sorghum saccharatum var. corymbosum, Sorghum roxburghii var. hirsutum, Sorghum japonicum, Holcus saccharatus var. technicus, Panicum caffrorum, Sorghum vulgare subsp. technicum, Sorghum saccharatum var. giganteum, Andropogon sorghum subvar. glabrescens, Andropogon sorghum subvar. rubidus, Holcus durra, Sorghum conspicuum, Sorghum basiplicatum var. rubellum, Sorghum durra var. mediocre, Sorghum thonizzii, Sorghum bicolor var. picigutta, Holcus nigricans, Sorghum saccharatum var. wightii, Andropogon subglabrescens, Andropogon sorghum subvar. rubens, Sorghum campanum, Sorghum chinense, Milium sorghum, Sorghum rigidum, Andropogon sorghum var. albus, Sorghum nigricans, Andropogon sorghum var. mediocris, Holcus niger, Andropogon sorghum var. lasiorhachis, Sorghum caudatum var. purpureum, Sorghum pallidum, Sorghum miliiforme var. rotundulum, Andropogon sorghum var. yemensis, Andropogon sorghum subvar. ruber, Holcus pyramidalis, Andropogon sorghum subvar. lividus, Sorghum eplicatum var. hackelii, Sorghum bicolor var. arduinii, Sorghum dochna var. burmanicum, Andropogon sorghum var. subglabrescens, Sorghum durra var. fuscum, Andropogon sorghum var. corymbosus, Holcus cernuus, Andropogon sorghum subsp. sativus, Andropogon sorghum var. usorum, Sorghum dochna var. obovatum, Holcus sorghum var. durra, Andropogon sorghum var. ziegleri, Sorghum vulgare var. caffrorum, Holcus sorghum var. technicus, Andropogon sorghum subvar. holstii, Andropogon saccharatus, Andropogon sorghum var. technicus
Gallery
Botanical Description
Sorghum bicolor, cultivated sorghum or great millet, is a tall robust annual grass of the family Poaceae growing 1 to 4 m or more. The stout, often pithy or sweet-sapped culms bear broad, flat, arching leaves with a waxy bloom and a fringed ligule. The inflorescence is a large terminal panicle, varying from open and loose to dense and compact, carrying numerous small spikelets in pairs; the grain is a rounded caryopsis ranging from white through red to brown, partly enclosed by the glumes. It flowers and fruits in late summer and autumn. Domesticated in northeastern Africa, sorghum is now grown throughout the warm regions of the world as a staple cereal, forage, syrup and biofuel crop. Young plants and regrowth can accumulate cyanogenic compounds dangerous to livestock.
Cultural & Historical Context
Traditional American Uses
None Documented
Chemistry & External Identifiers
Important Disclaimer
This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace professional medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before using any herbal remedy, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, or taking medications.