Vascular Plants of North Carolina
Section: Common Name: Scientific Name: Family:
Account for Italian Ryegrass - Lolium perenne var. aristatum   Willdenow
Members of Poaceae:
Members of Lolium with account distribution info or public map:
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Section 5 » Family Poaceae
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AuthorWilldenow
DistributionThroughout the state. No doubt in every county.

Native of Eurasia; in N.A. throughout except far north.
AbundanceCommon.
HabitatRoadsides, lawn weed, fields, meadows, pastures. Apparently used as part of re-vegetation seed mixes.
PhenologyFlowering and fruiting April-July.
IdentificationItalian Ryegrass is distinctive in its slender, long inflorescence in which the spikelets are oriented such that one edge hugs the stem. Spikelets are compressed laterally, have 10-22 florets, and have awns up to 15 mm. Florets of var. perenne lack awns, and have only 5-9 florets per spikelet.
Taxonomic CommentsA synonym is L. multiflorum, a name used by Weakley (2020). We prefer to maintain them as varieties until the dust settles.

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State RankSE
Global RankGNR
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