sugarcane

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Sugar Cane
• noble sugarcane

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Saccharum officinarum var. variegatum
• Saccharum bataviense
• Saccharum atrorubens
• Saccharum fragile
• Saccharum luzonicum
• Saccharum monandrum
• Saccharum occidentale
• Saccharum officinarum var. otaheitense
• Saccharum officinarum var. rubicundum
• Saccharum officinarum var. rubrum-altum
• Saccharum officinarum var. rubrum-humile
• Saccharum rubicundum
• Saccharum spontaneum subsp. luzonicum
• Saccharum violaceum
• Saccharum officinarum var. atrorubens
• Saccharum maddenii
• Saccharum officinarum var. brevipedicellatum
• Saccharum officinarum var. fragile
• Saccharum officinarum var. giganteum
• Saccharum officinarum var. glabrum
• Saccharum officinarum var. jamaicense
• Saccharum officinarum var. litteratum
• Saccharum officinarum var. litteratum-breve
• Saccharum officinarum var. luridum
• Saccharum officinarum var. luteum-durum
• Saccharum officinarum var. luzonicum
• Saccharum officinarum var. obscurum
• Saccharum officinarum var. purpureum
• Saccharum officinarum var. tahitense
• Saccharum officinarum var. violaceum
• Saccharum glabrum

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant, known scientifically as Saccharum officinarum, belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta. It is classified under the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae, falling within the order Poales. Finally, it is a member of the family Poaceae and is categorized under the genus Saccharum.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant, Saccharum officinarum, exhibits a specific geographical distribution across several distinct regions. In Southwestern Europe, it can be found growing in Spain. Its presence extends into Northern Africa, where it is located in Algeria, Egypt, and Morocco. Additionally, the species is situated within the Macaronesian islands, specifically the Canary Islands. Together, these locations highlight the plant's reach across the Mediterranean and Atlantic coastal areas.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Saccharum officinarum is characterized by its ability to thrive across a significant altitudinal gradient, ranging from sea level (0 m AMSL) up to a maximum elevation of 2500 m AMSL. This species is primarily found within anthropic habitats (Área Antrópica), indicating a strong association with human-modified landscapes, agricultural fields, and cultivated environments where it is managed for its biological properties.

Elevational range max:

2500 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

0 m AMSL

Habitat :

Área Antrópica

Genetics

The genetics of Saccharum officinarum are characterized by a complex genomic architecture that plays a critical role in its physiological development and sugar accumulation capabilities. This species possesses a chromosome number of 80, reflecting a highly specialized genetic makeup within the Poaceae family. Furthermore, the organism exhibits a ploidy level of 2, which serves as a fundamental baseline for its hereditary transmission and phenotypic expression. These genetic parameters are essential for understanding the plant's evolutionary lineage and its ability to maintain stability across successive generations.

Chromosome number :

80

Ploidy :

2

Life history

The life history of Saccharum officinarum is characterized by a perennial lifecycle, allowing the plant to persist through multiple growing seasons. Structurally, it functions as a hemicryptophyte, maintaining its perennuating buds at or just below the soil surface, and is further classified as a geophyte due to its reliance on specialized underground structures for survival and regeneration.

Life form :

geophyte

Life form :

hemicryptophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Saccharum officinarum is characterized by a graminoid growth form, functioning as a non-woody herb. As a terrestrial species, it grows independently and does not exhibit parasitic or epiphytic behaviors. The plant is self-supporting rather than a climber, liana, or vine. In terms of stature, it reaches a maximum height of approximately 6 m, with a mean plant height of 4.85 m, and a minimum height of 3 m.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Growth form :

graminoid

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

6 m

Plant height mean:

4.85 m

Plant height min:

3 m

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiology of Saccharum officinarum is characterized by a highly efficient C4 photosynthetic pathway, which allows the plant to maximize carbon fixation and optimize water-use efficiency in warm, high-light environments. Morphologically, the leaves are elongated and linear, exhibiting a length that ranges from a minimum of 70 cm to a maximum of 200 cm, with a width spanning between 2 cm and 7 cm. Unlike many other tropical species, this plant does not exhibit succulence, maintaining a more fibrous structural composition. Furthermore, it is not a nitrogen fixer, meaning it relies on the availability of nitrogen within the soil rather than through symbiotic biological nitrogen fixation to support its metabolic processes and rapid growth.

Leaf length max:

200 cm

Leaf length min:

70 cm

Leaf width max:

7 cm

Leaf width min:

2 cm

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C4

Succulence :

no

Reproduction

The reproduction of Saccharum officinarum is characterized by a flowering cycle that typically commences in August and concludes in November, though the timing can be variable. The plant produces an inflorescence in the form of a panicled structure, which measures between 0.7 m and 0.9 m in length. The flowers themselves are grey in color and can reach a maximum width of 20 cm. Following pollination, the plant develops fruit classified as an achene, which is characterized by being dry and indehiscent. These fruits reach a maximum length of approximately 0.25 cm. The resulting seeds are extremely lightweight, with a mean, minimum, and maximum seed mass of 4e-04 g and a consistent seed volume of 22 mm³. Dispersal of the seeds is achieved through an anemochorous syndrome, relying on wind to transport the reproductive units.

Dehiscence :

indehiscent

Dispersal syndrome :

anemochorous

Flower colour :

grey

Flower width max:

20 cm

Flowering time :

Aug

Flowering time :

Nov

Fruit dryness :

dry

Fruit length max:

0.25 cm

Fruit type :

achene

Inflorescence :

panicle

Inflorescence length max:

0.9 m

Inflorescence length min:

0.7 m

Seed mass mean:

4e-04 g

Seed volume max:

22 mm³

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Saccharum officinarum has 1 reported plant parts identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include stem.

Stem

1. Journal of the American College of Nutrition

Chemicals

Saccharum officinarum has 15 reported phytochemicals identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include sucrose, ACONITIC ACID, Anthocyanins, Arachidic acid, CALCIUM.

sucrose

1. Dr. Duke
2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

ACONITIC ACID

1. Dr. Duke

Anthocyanins

1. BMC plant biology

Arachidic acid

1. Journal of the American College of Nutrition

CALCIUM

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

CHLOROGENIC ACID

1. Nutritional neuroscience

Cyanidin

1. BMC plant biology

GAMMA-CHLORDANE

1. Journal of environmental science and health. Part. B, Pesticides, food contaminants, and agricultural wastes

HEPTACHLOR EPOXIDE

1. Journal of environmental science and health. Part. B, Pesticides, food contaminants, and agricultural wastes

IRON

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Activities

Saccharum officinarum has 15 reported activities identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant, Aggregant, Antihiccup, Antiophthalmic, Atherogenic.

Antioxidant

1. Dr. Duke
2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Aggregant

1. Dr. Duke

Antihiccup

1. Dr. Duke

Antiophthalmic

1. Dr. Duke

Atherogenic

1. Dr. Duke

Collyrium

1. Dr. Duke

Demulcent

1. Dr. Duke

Flatugenic

1. Dr. Duke

Hypercholesterolemic

1. Dr. Duke

Perfumery

1. Dr. Duke

Conditions

Saccharum officinarum has 6 reported investigations on conditions identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include Alzheimer's disease, Cognitive Decline, alcoholic liver disease, dementia, jaundice.

Alzheimer's disease

1. Frontiers in cell and developmental biology

Cognitive decline

1. Frontiers in cell and developmental biology

Alcoholic liver disease

1. Current drug metabolism

Dementia

1. Frontiers in cell and developmental biology

Jaundice

1. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)

Mild cognitive impairment

1. Frontiers in cell and developmental biology