Lolium

8 species, from temperate Europe and Asia, including important pasture grasses; 6 naturalised in Australia, 5 in Victoria.

Fertile hybrids commonly occur between L. multiflorum, L. perenne and L. rigidum and back-crossing with the parent species may result in a near-complete range of intermediate forms. Consequently, hybrids are not included in the following key, but specimens of intermediate morphology should key to the most strongly emphasized parent species.

Molecular studies (e.g. Catalan et al. 2004) suggest that this and other genera (e.g. Psilurus, Vulpia) are nested within Festuca and a broader concept of that genus should be recognised. To date, the genera are maintained as distinct in Australia.