Contains 5 accepted taxa overall.
Characteristics
Lolium is evidently embedded in the Festuca lineage (Inda et al. 2014; Cheng et al. 2016) and it may be preferable to include it within the larger genus Festuca.
Classification
Citation
LOLIUM Linnaeus, Sp. Pl. 83. 1753.
-
TYPE: Lolium perenne Linnaeus Lectotypified by Nash, in Britton & A. Brown, Ill. Fl. N. U.S., ed. 2. 1: 281. 1913.
Species
| Scientific Name | Common Name | Herbarium Specimens | Status | Photos |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lolium arundinaceum | Tall Fescue, Alta Fescue | |||
| Lolium multiflorum | Italian Rye-grass, Annual Rye-grass | |||
| Lolium perenne | English Rye-grass, Perennial Rye-grass | |||
| Lolium pratense | Meadow fescue | |||
| Lolium temulentum ssp. temulentum | Darnel, Darnel Ryegrass |
Identification Key
1. Inflorescence paniculiform
2
1. Inflorescence spiciform
3
2. Leaf sheath auricles ciliate (at least 1 or 2 hairs); inflorescence branches usually 2 at the proximal node, the shorter with 1-13 spikelets, the longer with 3-19 spikelets; lemmas usually scabrous or hispidulous, unawned or with an awn up to 4 mm long
2. Leaf sheath auricles glabrous; inflorescence branches 1-2 at the proximal node, if 2 the shorter with 1-2(3) spikelets, the longer with 2-6(9) spikelets; lemmas usually smooth, sometimes slightly scabrous, unawned or with a mucro to 0.2 mm long
3. Spikelets with 10-22 florets; lemma awns absent or to 8 mm long
3. Spikelets with 2-10(11) florets; lemmas awns to 23 mm long, occasionally absent
4
4. Perennial; second glume usually shorter than the floret; lemma 0.8-2 mm wide; caryopses 0.7-1.5 mm wide, 3-4.5 times longer than wide
4. Annual; second glume subequal to longer than the floret; lemma 1.2-3 mm wide; caryopses 1-3 mm wide, 2-3 times longer than wide
Genus Synonyms
| Synonym | Full Citation | Basionym | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| No synonyms found. | |||