Lolium L.

Annuals, or perennials, of variable habit. Leaf-sheath auriculate, or auricles 0. Ligule membranous, short, truncate or obtuse. Leaf-blade flat or ± folded, rolled or folded in young shoots. Culm ± decumbent to erect. Inflorescence a simple, stiff, terminal spike with mainly solitary spikelets alternating in two opposite rows and placed edgeways on and ± sunk in rachis. Spikelets 2–22-flowered, ± sessile, ± laterally compressed; disarticulation above glumes and between florets. Glumes both present and ± equal in terminal spikelet; lower absent in lateral spikelets, upper 3–7-nerved, coriaceous. Lemma 5–9-nerved, rounded, membranous to coriaceous; awn subterminal or 0. Palea ≈ lemma and similar in texture, 2-keeled, keels ciliolate. Callus glabrous. Lodicules 2, ± membranous, glabrous, ± lanceolate, entire. Stamens 3. Ovary glabrous; styles free. Caryopsis dorsiventrally compressed, longitudinally furrowed; embryo small; hilum linear, > ½ length of caryopsis.

[From: Edgar and Connor (2000) Flora of New Zealand. Volume 5 (second printing).]