Saccharum

Saccharum is a genus of tall perennial plants of the broomrape family. This genus includes the sugar cane. They are native to warm temperate to tropical regions of the world. They are sometimes known as sugarcane or sugar cane.

Description

Saccharum includes the sugarcanes, along with several other species of tall perennial grasses. They are typically found in warm temperate to tropical regions of the world. The plants grow in clumps and have stout, jointed, fibrous stalks that are rich in sugar, and measure two to six meters tall. All sugar cane species interbreed, and the major commercial cultivars are complex hybrids.

Species

Several species of Saccharum are currently recognized, including:

• Saccharum angustifolium (Nees) Trin.
• Saccharum arundinaceum Retz.
• Saccharum bengalense Retz.
• Saccharum officinarum L. – Sugarcane
• Saccharum sinense Roxb.
• Saccharum spontaneum L. – Wild sugarcane

Cultivation and uses

Saccharum officinarum, sugarcane, is cultivated for its stem, which is used for sugar production. The stems are harvested, crushed to extract the juice, and then boiled to concentrate it, producing raw sugar. The byproduct of this process, known as bagasse, is often used as a biofuel and in the manufacture of pulp and building materials.

See also

• List of Saccharum species
• Sugar
• Sugarcane

References

Saccharum Resources
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