Italian ryegrass, Annual ryegrass
Lolium multiflorum

Family: Poaceae

What it is like

An annual grass. It grows 60-90 cm high and spreads 25-30 cm wide. It is a more robust grass than Wimmera rye. The stems are often tinged red. The leaves are bright green and smooth and tapered. They have a sharp point. The midrib is obvious and the leaf edges are rough. The flowers are in a spike with 5-38 spikelets. The outside glume is shorter than the spikelet. The lemmas carry awns.

There are about 8 Lolium species. They are temperate.

Where it is found

It is a temperate plant. It suits hardiness zones 6-9. It grows in the Sahara. In Sichuan and Yunnan.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Albania, Algeria, Argentina, Asia, Australia, Balkans, Brazil, Bulgaria Chile, China, East Africa, Europe, France, Greece, India, Italy, Korea, Luxembourg, Mediterranean, Morocco, New Zealand, North Africa, Pakistan, Paraguay, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, South Africa, Southern Africa, South America, Taiwan, Tasmania, Turkey, Türkiye, Uruguay, Yugoslavia, Zimbabwe

How it is used for food

The leaves are dried and used as a spice.

It is cultivated.

Edible parts

Shoots, leaves

How it is grown

It is grown from seed.

Its other names

Local names

Elmedhoun

Synonyms

Lolium italicum A.Br.;