Lolium perenne

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect, or decumbent; 30–90 cm long. Leaf-sheath oral hairs lacking. Leaf-sheath auricles falcate. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades 3–20 cm long; 2–6 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 1; single; bilateral; 4–30 cm long. Rhachis semiterete. Spikelet packing adaxial; 1 their length apart; regular; 2 -rowed.

Spikelets appressed; solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 4–14 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 7–20 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes one the lower absent or obscure; persistent; shorter than spikelet; similar to fertile lemma in texture. Upper glume lanceolate; coriaceous; without keels; 5–7 -veined. Upper glume surface smooth. Upper glume apex obtuse.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 5–7 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma apex obtuse; muticous. Palea keels scaberulous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Ovary glabrous.

FRUIT Hilum linear.

DISTRIBUTION Europe: northern, central, southwestern, southeastern, and eastern. Africa: north, Macaronesia, northeast tropical, southern tropical, and south. Asia-temperate: Siberia, Soviet Middle Asia, Caucasus, western Asia, Arabia, China, and eastern Asia. Asia-tropical: India, Malesia, and Papuasia. Australasia: Australia and New Zealand. Pacific: south-central and north-central. North America: Subarctic, western Canada, eastern Canada, northwest USA, north-central USA, northeast USA, southwest USA, south-central USA, southeast USA, and Mexico. South America: Mesoamericana, western South America, Brazil, and southern South America. Antarctic: Subantarctic islands.

NOTES Poeae. FTEA.

Please cite this publication as detailed in How to Cite Version: 3rd February 2016.