Lolium perenne

Name<br />

<strong>Lolium</strong> <strong>perenne</strong><br />

Perennial ryegrass<br />

Habitat/Range Predominantly a grass of improved neutral grassland and of arable leys and hay<br />

meadows throughout lowland Britain. It does also occur widely in other habitats, up to 570 m,<br />

and is found throughout the UK apart from the most mountainous areas of Scotland. It occurs in<br />

calcareous grassland, rush pasture, inundation zones, amenity swards and verges as well as<br />

open waste land vegetation. It prefers heavy neutral fertile soils, but tolerates mild acidity and<br />

base-richness. It is a native species and widely spread via grass and wildflower seed mixes.<br />

Identification This is a tufted perennial with erect or spreading culms between 10 and 90 cm tall.<br />

The sheaths and backs of the leaves are smooth and shiny, giving a characteristic glint to<br />

swards dominated by this species. Ligules are up to 2 mm long with clasping auricles at the<br />

bases of the bright green leaves. The spikes are straight and stiff and in one plane. Spikelets<br />

are spaced alternately along opposite sides of the stem, they lack the awns of Italian ryegrass.

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Name<br />

<strong>Lolium</strong> <strong>perenne</strong><br />

Perennial ryegrass<br />

www.bsbi.org.uk