Saccharum officinarum (sugar cane) Sugar is extracted from the
sweet, juicy stems of sugar cane, and is used worldwide as a
sweetener, preservative and in the cosmetics industry. About
this species Saccharum officinarum is a member of the grass
family (Poaceae) and is widely cultivated, providing around 70%
of the world’s sugar. Sugar cane yields the highest number of
calories per unit area of cultivation of any plant. The word
'sugar' is thought to derive from the ancient Sanskrit
'sharkara'. Sugar cane probably originated in New Guinea, and
was taken to the Americas by the explorer Christopher Columbus
on his second expedition there in 1493. Sugar cane is now grown
in more than 70 countries, mainly in the tropics, but also in
some sub-tropical areas. India and Brazil produce about half the
world’s cane sugar. Geography & Distribution Sugar cane is grown
in southwestern Europe, Africa, temperate Asia, tropical Asia,
Australia, the Pacific, southeastern USA, Mexico, and South
America. It has been cultivated i