PANICLE CHARACTERS OF SORGO 7 
Japanese Ribbon, and his description of Liberian corresponds fairly 
well with our Sumac, which Collier (5) also represents as synony- 
mous. It is impossible to identify the remaining six types with any 
of the varieties of the present time. 
Collier (o) amplified Pech's key to some extent and considered 19 
varieties in all. but presented few points of distinction not considered 
by Pech. 
"Ball's (2) key. which was presented for the first time in 1907, 
employs a considerable number of characters regarding various 
features of the panicle. It is as follows : 
Key to varieties of sorgo, by Bail 
A. Peduncle and panicle erect. 
I. Panicle loose, open, branches spreading to horizontal or 
drooping. 
Rachis two-thirds as long as to equaling the pan- 
icle ; spikelets usually awned. 
Stems slender ; panicle ovate-pyramidal or one- 
sided ; empty glumes deep red or black. 
Empty glumes' black. 
Empty flumes rigid, long, more or less 
hairy, pure black, usually awned 1. Amber. 
Empty glumes longer and thinner, 
glabrous, usually glaucous when ma- 
ture, never awned 1- Minnesota Amber. 
Empty glumes deep red: 2. Red Amber. 
Stems stout ; panicle oblong, elongated ; empty 
glumes light brown 3. Honey. 
Rachis less than one-half the length of the panicle. 
Panicle light weight, red-brown, branches 6 to 
10 incbes long, drooping; glumes with pale 
margins, acute; seeds deep orange to red 4. Collier. 
Panicle heavy, pale orange or darker ; glumes 
pale straw color or darker, never all dark ; 
seeds pale orange to deep orange 5. Planter's Friend. 
II. Tanicle close, compact, obovate-obiong or cylindrical ; 
branches appressed or the uppermost spreading. 
Panicle oblanceolate or oblong, 5 to 7 inches long ; 
stems 5 to ~V-i feet high. 
Empty glumes about equaling the large seeds. 
Color of panicle pale orange or darker ; 
glumes pale straw color or darker but 
never all dark, acute ; seeds pale orange 
or darker 5. Planter's Friend. 
Color of panicle reddish brown or deep 
brown ; glumes red to black, all dark ; 
seeds pale orange to red 6. Orange. 
Empty glumes about half as long as the small 
s< eds. 
Panicle very compact ; glumes black, seeds 
dark red 7. Sumac. 
Panicle cylindrical, elongated, 10 to 14 incbes long ; 
stems 8 to 10 feet high. 
Empty glumes narrow, somewhat shorter than 
the red seeds S. Sapling. 
AA. Peduncle strongly declined or recurved (goosenecked). or 
sometimes erect ; hence, panicle horizontal, or pendent, 
or erect. 
Panicle black, ovate or triangular, awned ; stems tall and 
stout, reddened below 9. Gooseneck. 
CHARACTERS USEFUL IN CLASSIFYING AND IDENTIFYING TYPES 
AND VARIETIES 
In arranging varieties both for classification and in keys certain 
authors employ characters which pertain to the form and position 
of the panicle and of its branches for separating the major group-: 
others make first use of spikelet characters for this purpose. It 
is, of course, true that characters which best indicate systematic re- 
lationships are not always those most useful for distinguishing the 
forms, because the differences are sometimes of such a kind that they 
