Downs sorghum facts for kids

Sorghum timorense, also known as Downs sorghum, is a type of grass. It grows every year, meaning it lives for only one growing season. This grass is found in warm, tropical parts of Asia and Australasia.

You can find it naturally on the island of Timor. It also grows across northern Australia. This includes areas in the Northern Territory, Queensland, and Western Australia. It especially thrives in places like Kimberley and Pilbara.

What Does it Look Like?

This grass has strong stems, called culms. They can grow quite tall, from about 30 centimeters (about 1 foot) to 3 meters (about 10 feet) high. These stems are usually straight. Sometimes they might bend sharply. They can feel smooth or have a light, powdery coating. The parts of the stem where leaves attach, called nodes, are often soft and hairy.

Its roots usually stay underground. However, some roots might stick out a bit above the soil. These roots can help prop the plant up.

The lower part of the leaf, called the leaf sheath, wraps around the stem. These sheaths can be smooth or have tiny hairs. The main part of the leaf, the blade, is long and thin. It can be 30 to 60 centimeters (about 1 to 2 feet) long. The blades are usually smooth or slightly hairy. They can be straight or curled. The very tip of the leaf often looks like a thin thread.

The plant's flowers grow in a cluster called an inflorescence. This cluster is a type of panicle, which looks like a loose, branching group of flowers. It can be 15 to 40 centimeters (about 6 to 16 inches) long. Each branch of the panicle ends in a small cluster of flowers called a raceme. These racemes have a few fertile spikelets. Spikelets are small flower units found in grasses.