Lolium perenne L.

• Authority

  Gleason, Henry A. & Cronquist, Arthur J. 1991. Manual of vascular plants of northeastern United States and adjacent Canada. lxxv + 910 pp.

• Family

  Poaceae

• Scientific Name

  Lolium perenne L.

• Description

  Species Description - Mostly short-lived perennial; culms slender, 3–9(–12) dm; spike slender, 1–2 dm, the rachis scabrous on the margins and sometimes also on the back; spikelets (2–)5–22-fld; glume 4–12 mm, herbaceous, distinctly shorter than the spikelet; lemmas awned or awnless, the lowest 5–8 mm, the upper progressively reduced; 2n=14, 28. Native of Europe, cult. in meadows and lawns and often escaped onto roadsides and in waste places throughout our range and w. to the Pacific. Two well marked but wholly intergradient vars., apparently originating as agronomic strains.

• Common Names

  ryegrass