Annual ryegrass is a common name for several species of
ryegrass
''Lolium'' is a genus of tufted grasses in the bluegrass subfamily (Pooideae). It is often called ryegrass, but this term is sometimes used to refer to grasses in other genera.
They are characterized by bunch-like growth habits. ''Lolium'' is ...
and may refer to:
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Lolium multiflorum
''Lolium multiflorum'' (Italian rye-grass, annual ryegrass) is a ryegrass native to temperate Europe, though its precise native range is unknown.
It is a herbaceous annual, biennial, or perennial grass that is grown for silage, and as a cover cr ...
'', known as "annual ryegrass" in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom and grown as a cover crop
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Lolium rigidum
''Lolium rigidum'' is a species of annual grass. Common names by which it is known include annual ryegrass, a name also given to Italian ryegrass (''Lolium multiflorum''), rigid ryegrass, stiff darnel, Swiss ryegrass and Wimmera ryegrass. It is ...
'', known as "Wimmera ryegrass" in Australia, and considered a weed when present as a contaminant in field crops but is quite productive for livestock grazing
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