BOTANICAL MUSEUM LEAFLETS 
HARVARD UNIVERSITY 
CamBripGk, Massacnuserts, May 27, 1937 VoL. 4, No. 10 
THE NOMENCLATURE OF THE 
CULTIVATED SORGHUMS 
BY 
ALBERT F. HI, 
THE CULTIVATED SORGHUMS in the United States may 
readily be separated into four cultural groups: (1) the 
grass sorghums, which include Johnson grass, Sudan 
grass and Tunis grass; (2) the sweet or saccharine sor- 
ghums, commonly known as sorgos; (8) the grain or 
non-saccharine sorghums, which comprise durra, feterita, 
hegari, kaoliang, milo and shallu; and (4) the broomecorns. 
The determination of the taxonomic identity of these 
plants, however, is a difficult matter, and their nomen- 
clature has long been in an unusually chaotic state. In 
consequence, the greater part of the literature dealing 
with sorghums in the United States has made little or 
no reference to the scientific names. 
Several causes have been responsible for this state of 
affairs. The normally complicated nomenclature of any 
group with numerous horticultural forms has, in this in- 
stance, been further confused by the fact that the sor- 
ghums have been referred at various times to at least 
three distinct genera: Andropogon, Holcus and Sor- 
ghum. There has also existed a considerable difference of 
opinion among taxonomists as to whether the several 
races should be accorded a varietal or a specific status. 
Finally the identity of certain of the forms has been in 
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