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Info
Subfamily: Pooideae
Genus etymology: Lolium is a troublesome weed referenced by the Roman poet Virgil, perhaps darnell (Lolium temulentum)
Species etymology: perenne = "perennial" [Latin] refering to the duration
Photosynthetic type: C3 (cool season)
Nativity: naturalized - intentional
First recorded in Hawaiʻi: 1902
Map
Inflorescence
Spikelets
Description
Plants long-lived perennials. Culms to 100 cm. Leaves folded in the bud; blades usually 10-30 cm long, (1)2-4(6) mm wide. Spikes 3-30 cm, with 5-37 spikelets; rachises 0.5-2.5 mm thick at the nodes, often flexuous. Spikelets 5-22 mm long, 1-7 mm wide, with (2)5-9(10) florets. Glumes 3.5-15 mm, (1/3) 1/2 - 3/4 as long as to slightly exceeding the distal florets, membranous to indurate; lemmas 3.5-9 mm long, 0.8-2 mm wide, unawned or awned, awns to about 8 mm, attached 0.2-0.7 mm below the apices; paleas shorter than to slightly longer than the lemmas; anthers 2-4.2 mm. Caryopses 3-5.5 mm long, 0.7-1.5 mm wide, 3 or more times longer than wide. 2n = 14.
(Description source: Barkworth, M.E., Capels, K.M. & Long, S. (eds.) 1993. Flora of North America, north of Mexico. Volume 24. Magnoliophyta: Commelinidae (in part): Poaceae, Part 1. Oxford University Press, New York. 911 pp. http://floranorthamerica.org/Lolium_perenne )
Perennials with numerous basal innovations; culms ascending or. erect, (3-)4-9 dm tall, glabrous and smooth. Basal leaves forming tufts up to 1.5-3 dm tall; sheaths smooth, auricles well-developed, crescentshaped, up to 1.5(-2) mm long; ligule entire, 0.5-1.5 mm long; blades narrowly linear, 1-3(-4) mm wide, glabrous and smooth, sometimes scaberulous. Spikes erect, narrow, (8-)10-20(-25) cm long; spikelets (3-)5-7(-11)-flowered, (8-)9.5- 15(-20) mm long; second glume linear-lanceolate to ovate, (4-)6-10(-12) mm long, nearly as long as the spikelet, 7-9-nerved, with 3-5 of the nerves more prominent; lemmas (4-)5-7(-8) mm long, glabrous, margins membranous, apex obtuse to acute, awnless; palea nearly as long as lemma, 2-nerved, keeled, the keels slightly winged, ciliate, apex acute. Caryopsis reddish brown, ellipsoid, strongly flattened, 2.5-3 mm long. [2n = 14, 15, 28.]
(Description source: O’Connor, P.J. 1990. Poaceae, pp. 1481–1604. In: Wagner W.L., Herbst D.R. & Sohmer S.H. (eds.)., Manual of the flowering plant of Hawaiʻi. Vol. 2. University of Hawaii Press & Bishop Museum Press, Honolulu )