Poaceae · Saccharum

Eekh / Sugar Cane

Saccharum officinarum

Also known as Noble Cane

HerbMedicinal
Habit
Herb
Found in India
Bihar, Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand & more
Flowering
October-December

Plant Details

Scientific name
Saccharum officinarum
Genus
Saccharum
Family
Poaceae
Habit
Herb
Distribution
Cultivated throughout the tropics
Found in India
Bihar, Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand, Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, Arunachal Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, Puducherry, West Bengal, Assam, Gujarat, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur
Flowering & fruiting
October-December
Conservation status
Not Evaluated (NE)

Leaf characters

Leaf arrangement
AlternaterecordedOne leaf per node, arranged in a spiral or zigzag up the stem.They are jointed, nodes being present at the bases of the alternate leaves. — Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
Leaf shape
LinearrecordedVery long and narrow with roughly parallel sides.The elongated, linear, green leaves have thick midribs and saw-toothed edges and grow to a length of about 30 to 60 centimetres (12 to 24 inches) and width of 5 cm (2 in). — Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
Toothed leaf margin
Leaf margin
ToothedrecordedA saw-like or jagged edge (serrate or dentate).The elongated, linear, green leaves have thick midribs and saw-toothed edges and grow to a length of about 30 to 60 centimetres (12 to 24 inches) and width of 5 cm (2 in). — Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Typical of the family

Simple type leaf character
Type
Simple
Parallel venation leaf character
Venation
Parallel

Characters marked “recorded” are for Eekh itself; the rest are typical of the Poaceae family.

Flower & fruit characters

Flower arrangement
PaniclerecordedA branching cluster of clusters.The terminal inflorescence is a panicle up to 60 cm (24 in) long, a pinkish plume that is broadest at the base and tapering towards the top. — Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
Fruit surface
Smooth, not spinyrecorded

Typical of the family

Inflorescence
Spike
Fruit
Grain

Characters marked “recorded” are for Eekh itself; the rest are typical of the Poaceae family — flowering plants only.

Local Names

Hindi
ईख Eekh, गन्ना Ganna
Tamil
கரும்பு Karumbu, புண்டறம் Pundaram, செங்கரும்பு
Telugu
Cheruku, సెకారం అఫిష్ననారమ్, చెరకు
Kannada
Petta patti kabbu, ಖಬ್ಬೂ Khabbu
Malayalam
Karibpu
Marathi
ऊस Oos
Punjabi
ਗੰਨਾ

About Eekh

Sugar Cane (Saccharum officinarum) belongs to the Poaceae family, where it grows as a herb. In India it has been recorded in Bihar, Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand and 13 other states. Flowering and fruiting run from October to December.

Uses

Locally it is long used in traditional medicine and harvested for fodder. Those medicinal uses are traditional attributions, not medical advice.

Illustration representing the Poaceae family
Botanical family

Poaceae

Grass family

Eekh belongs to the Poaceae family.

The illustration represents the family — not necessarily this exact species.

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Common plant problems

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