Ryegrass

The Ryegrass, ( Lolium L.) is a kind of graminaceous wild or cultivated like fodder plant, originating in the hot moderate areas of the old world. Certain species are regarded as bad grasses.

There exists ten species of the kind Lolium , called in English in Ryegrass , from where the term of “ in rye-grass ” or “ in ray fatty ” under which are more known in French the cultivated species.

The principal cultivated species are the following ones:

  • Lolium multiflorum , ryegrass multiflore or Italian ryegrass,
  • perennial Lolium , long-lived ryegrass or perennial ryegrass.

The ryegrass enivrante, Lolium temulentum , is the only graminaceous one whose seeds are toxic for the man. Consumed in minor amount, they induce effects comparable with intoxication, from where its popular name.

This plant is probably that indicated by the formula employed in the Évangile S, “To separate the good grain from the ryegrass”.

The term “ryegrass” derives from popular ebriacus , drunk Latin, in relation to the properties of the ryegrass enivrante.

General characters of the kind Lolium

The ryegrasses are generally annual or bi-annual herbaceous plants.

Distribution

These plants are originating in the hot moderate areas of the old world: Europe, North Africa, Occidental Asia and Indian Sub-continent.

The cultivated species were naturalized in all the moderate areas of the world.

She claim a soft and sunny, and relatively wet climate in general.

Principal species

  • Lolium canariense Steud., the Ryegrass of the Canaries
  • Lolium ×hybridum Hausskn., the hybrid Rye-grass
  • Lolium multiflorum Lam., the ryegrass multiflore or perennial Ryegrass Italian
  • Lolium L., the long-lived ryegrass or perennial Ryegrass
  • Lolium persicum Wood. & Hohen., the Ryegrass of Persia
  • Lolium remotum Schrank, the Ryegrass of the flax
  • Lolium rigidum Gaudin, the stiff Ryegrass
  • Lolium subulatum Screw.
  • Lolium temulentum L., the Ryegrass enivrante

The species of Lolium are very close and are hybrident easily between them. Some also can hybrider with species of the kind Festuca .

Use

Several species have a certain importance in agriculture and horticulture, either like fodder plants, or like plants with Gazon S of approval. Some are also bad grasses, in particular Adventice S of corn and flax.

See too

The English article Ryegrass

Quotation

Old will: |“To want the ryegrass, one ransacks corn”

External bonds

  • long-lived Ryegrass multiflore
  • Ryegrass

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