Weeds of Australia - Fact Sheet

Top Scientific Name Synonyms Family Common Names Origin Naturalised Distribution Notes

Scientific Name

Lolium rigidum Gaud.

Synonyms

Lolium multiflorum Lam. var. rigidum (Gaud.) Trab.
Lolium perenne L. subsp. rigidum (Gaudich.) A. Love & D. Love
Lolium rigidum Gaud. var. rottboellioides Heldr. ex Boiss.
Lolium subulatum Vis. (misapplied)

Family

Gramineae (South Australia)
Poaceae (Queensland, New South Wales, the ACT, Victoria, Tasmania, Western Australia and the Northern Territory)

Common Names

annual rye grass, annual ryegrass, rigid ryegrass, rigid rye grass, ryegrass, stiff darnel, Swiss ryegrass, Wimmera rye, Wimmera rye grass, Wimmera rye-grass, Wimmera ryegrass

Origin

Native to northern Africa (i.e. Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco and Tunisia), southern Europe (i.e. Switzerland, France, Portugal, Spain, Albania, Bulgaria, Greece, Italy, Yugoslavia and southern Ukraine), western Asia and the Indian sub-continent (i.e. India and Pakistan).

Naturalised Distribution

This species is widely naturalised in southern, central and eastern Australia. It most widespread and common in New South Wales, the ACT, Victoria, Tasmania, South Australia, and south-western Western Australia. Occasionally also naturalised in southern and central Queensland, the southern parts of the Northern Territory, and other parts of Western Australia. Also naturalised on Lord Howe Island and Norfolk Island.

Notes

Annual ryegrass (Lolium rigidum) is grown as a pasture grass and is also known a widespread weed of crops in the temperate regions of Australia. However, this species also invades natural vegetation and is regarded as an environmental weed in Victoria and Western Australia.