Lolium multiflorum, Lolium perenne

Italian ryegrass, Perennial ryegrass

Reference: 637

The most important cultivated temperate grasses. Also grown in subtropical areas of Australia, S America and S Africa; in the tropics, ryegrass is grown to a limited extent at high altitudes, e.g. in Colombia or Kenya, ryegrass is grown above 2400-2500 m alt.

Often sown in mixtures with white clover. L. multiflorum is less persistent, dying out after 2-3 years of productive growth. It withstands drier and hotter conditions better than L. perenne and in the tropics it can be grown at somewhat lower altitudes than the latter.