Sorghum halepense

Species category

Weed

Common name

Johnsongrass, aleppo milletgrass, herbe de Cuba, sorgho d'Alep, sorgo de alepo, zacate Johnson

Diagnostic characters

Planting unit

SpikeletSpikelet:
One or more florets that are subtended by a pair of bracts called glumes. Spikelets are pedicellate if located on a pedicle and sessile if attached directly to the rachis. Often spikelets with single florets have remnants of a second floret, usually a lemma.

Shape

Lanceolate

Size

  • Length 3–4 mm
  • Width 1.5–2 mm
  • Thickness 0.8–1 mm

Color

Light brown to black with gradations

Texture

SpikeletSpikelet:
One or more florets that are subtended by a pair of bracts called glumes. Spikelets are pedicellate if located on a pedicle and sessile if attached directly to the rachis. Often spikelets with single florets have remnants of a second floret, usually a lemma.
smooth and shiny; sparce hairs on appendages.

Lemma

Not visible

Palea

Not visible

Other structures

Rachis segmentRachis segment:
A segment of the central axis of the inflorescence (rachis). In some species (e.g. Andropogon) separation of the sessile spikelets occurs when the rachis disarticulates at the spikelet bases leaving the segment of the rachis between spikelets attached to the lower spikelet.
and pedicelPedicel:
The stalk within an inflorescence supporting a single flower or spikelet.
intact; spikeletSpikelet:
One or more florets that are subtended by a pair of bracts called glumes. Spikelets are pedicellate if located on a pedicle and sessile if attached directly to the rachis. Often spikelets with single florets have remnants of a second floret, usually a lemma.
base is smooth.

Identification notes

Units are mostly found as spikeletsSpikelet:
One or more florets that are subtended by a pair of bracts called glumes. Spikelets are pedicellate if located on a pedicle and sessile if attached directly to the rachis. Often spikelets with single florets have remnants of a second floret, usually a lemma.
with the separation between spikeletsSpikelet:
One or more florets that are subtended by a pair of bracts called glumes. Spikelets are pedicellate if located on a pedicle and sessile if attached directly to the rachis. Often spikelets with single florets have remnants of a second floret, usually a lemma.
by a clean disarticulation at the bases, leaving no fragments. Therefore the rachis segmentRachis segment:
A segment of the central axis of the inflorescence (rachis). In some species (e.g. Andropogon) separation of the sessile spikelets occurs when the rachis disarticulates at the spikelet bases leaving the segment of the rachis between spikelets attached to the lower spikelet.
and pedicelPedicel:
The stalk within an inflorescence supporting a single flower or spikelet.
are usually intact with cuplike structures at their apexes. The caryopsisCaryopsis:
The single-seeded fruit or grain of the grass family (Poaceae); the fruit wall (pericarp) is united with the seed coat (testa).
has a rounded apexApical:
The distal end of the fruit or seed away from the point of attachment or attachment scar.
.

Comments

See individual states for noxious weed interpretations. 

Noxious weed seed categories

State Noxious Weed: Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Maryland, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, Nevada, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia

Federal: This species is actionable only when found in field or vegetable seed for planting; toleranceTolerance:
The amount by which a second test may differ from a first test without being attributed to an actual difference in seed quality. Tolerances are usually based on normal random variation, or sampling error.
applies, see (7 CFR 361.6(a)(2)).

Learn more on ITP's Federal Noxious Weed Disseminules tool.

AOSA examination list

Included

Nomenclature

Family

Poaceae

Valid name

Sorghum halepense (L.) Pers.

Synonyms

Holcus halepensis L. 
Sorghum miliaceum (Roxb.) Snowden

 Sorghum halepense.  Spikelets with an intact rachis segment and pedicel and smooth spikelet base. Photo by Julia Scher, USDA-APHIS-PPQ.
Sorghum halepense. Spikelets with an intact rachis segment and pedicel and smooth spikelet base. Photo by Julia Scher, USDA-APHIS-PPQ.
 Sorghum halepense.  Spikelets with a caryopsis with a rounded apex. Photo by Julia Scher, USDA-APHIS-PPQ.
Sorghum halepense. Spikelets with a caryopsis with a rounded apex. Photo by Julia Scher, USDA-APHIS-PPQ.
 Sorghum halepense.  Spikelets with the separation between spikelets by a clean disarticulation at the bases, leaving no fragments. Photo by Julia Scher, USDA-APHIS-PPQ.
Sorghum halepense. Spikelets with the separation between spikelets by a clean disarticulation at the bases, leaving no fragments. Photo by Julia Scher, USDA-APHIS-PPQ.
 Sorghum halepense.  Spikelets with the separation between spikelets by a clean disarticulation at the bases, leaving no fragments. Photo by Julia Scher, USDA-APHIS-PPQ.
Sorghum halepense. Spikelets with the separation between spikelets by a clean disarticulation at the bases, leaving no fragments. Photo by Julia Scher, USDA-APHIS-PPQ.
 Sorghum halepense.  Spikelets with an intact rachis segment and pedicel and smooth spikelet base. Photo by Julia Scher, USDA-APHIS-PPQ.
Sorghum halepense. Spikelets with an intact rachis segment and pedicel and smooth spikelet base. Photo by Julia Scher, USDA-APHIS-PPQ.
 Sorghum halepense.  Spikelets with an intact rachis segment and pedicel and smooth spikelet base. Photo by Julia Scher, USDA-APHIS-PPQ.
Sorghum halepense. Spikelets with an intact rachis segment and pedicel and smooth spikelet base. Photo by Julia Scher, USDA-APHIS-PPQ.
 Sorghum halepense.  Spikelets with an intact rachis segment and pedicel and smooth spikelet base.
Sorghum halepense. Spikelets with an intact rachis segment and pedicel and smooth spikelet base.
 Sorghum halepense.  Spikelets with an intact rachis segment and pedicel and smooth spikelet base. 
Sorghum halepense. Spikelets with an intact rachis segment and pedicel and smooth spikelet base. 
From Left to Right: 1.  Sorghum × almum  2.  Sorghum × drummondii  3.  Sorghum halepense  4.  Sorghum .
From Left to Right: 1. Sorghum × almum 2. Sorghum × drummondii 3. Sorghum halepense 4. Sorghum.
From Left to Right: 1–3.  Sorghum drummondii  4–6.  Sorghum halepense .  
From Left to Right: 1–3. Sorghum drummondii 4–6. Sorghum halepense.