Sorghum purpureosericeum (hochst. ex A.rich.) Schweinf. & Asch.

Annual; culms 30–150 cm. high, the nodes bearded.. Leaf-blades 10–50 cm. long, 2–10 mm. wide.. Panicle narrowly oblong, 5–35 cm. long; primary branches whorled, simple (rarely the longer branched), bearing racemes of 3–5 spikelet pairs.. Sessile spikelet lanceolate, 7.5–10 mm. long; lower glume coriaceous, glossy, reddish brown to black, glabrous or sometimes densely villous, bearded from the callus with white to rufous hairs; awn 20–40 mm. long.. Pedicelled spikelet linear to lanceolate, 6–10 mm. long, greenish.

It is a tropical plant. It grows along rivers and near lakes. In Tanzania it grows between 500-1,500 m above se level in areas with a rainfall between 1,000-1,300 mm.

The seeds are eaten as a staple and taste like rice. The heads are collected and threshed and winnowed and the seed boiled like rice or ground into flour.

Plants can be grown from seed.