Lolium temulentum

HABIT Annual; culms solitary, or caespitose. Culms erect, or decumbent; 30–90 cm long. Leaf-sheath oral hairs lacking. Leaf-sheath auricles falcate. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 2 mm long. Leaf-blades 6–40 cm long; 3–13 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 1; single; bilateral; 10–30 cm long. Rhachis semiterete. Spikelet packing adaxial; 2 their length apart; regular; 2 -rowed.

Spikelets appressed; solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 4–10 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 12–26 mm long; 4–6 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes one the lower absent or obscure; persistent; exceeding apex of florets, or reaching apex of florets; similar to fertile lemma in texture. Upper glume lanceolate; coriaceous; without keels; 7–9 -veined. Upper glume surface smooth, or asperulous. Upper glume apex obtuse.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic to ovate; 6–8 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 5–9 -veined. Lemma apex obtuse; muticous, or awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn 0–20 mm long overall. Palea keels scaberulous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Ovary glabrous.

FRUIT Hilum linear.

DISTRIBUTION Europe: eastern. Africa: north, Macaronesia, northeast tropical, east tropical, southern tropical, south, and western Indian ocean. Asia-temperate: Siberia, Soviet far east, Soviet Middle Asia, Caucasus, western Asia, Arabia, China, and eastern Asia. Asia-tropical: India and Malesia. Australasia: Australia and New Zealand. Pacific: north-central. North America: Subarctic, western Canada, eastern Canada, northwest USA, northeast USA, southwest USA, south-central USA, southeast USA, and Mexico. South America: Mesoamericana, Caribbean, northern South America, 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.