Annual Ryegrass, Italian Ryegrass

Lolium multiflorum Lam.

(formerly Lolium italicum)

Poaceae (Grass Family)

▲▼ mature plants

▲▼ inflorescences

▲ ligule

▲ auricles

▲ collar region

Annual Ryegrass, Italian Ryegrass: 

·         cool-season annual grass growing 6-36 inches tall (in flower)

·         leaves bright green, shiny, folded as they emerge from the sheath, with auricles at base of leaves

·         inflorescence a “zig-zag” spike of green florets, extending well above foliage

·         is allelopathic to other grasses, and can be invasive

·         including in low-cost turf mixes, soil-stabilization grass seed mixtures, but actually slows establishment of desired long-term cover species

·         common in southwest Missouri

·         close relative, Darnel: 

o   very similar to annual ryegrass, except glumes (outer part of spikelets on inflorescence) extend beyond most florets in a spikelet

o   can be toxic to livestock