88 FODDER AND PASTURE PLANTS 
Quality of seed: The colour is light brown, rather similar to 
that of Meadow Fescue. It is, however, not as dull as the seed of 
the latter and has a silvery lustre. The seeds are blunter and flatter 
and always destitute of awns. 
The weight varies, the best seed ranging from twenty-five to 
thirty-five pounds a bushel, poor seed sometimes not exceeding 
fifteen pounds. 
ITALIAN RYE GRASS (Lolium multiflorum Lam.) 
Plate 14B. 
Botanical description: Italian Rye is perennial and very similar 
to Perennial Rye Grass in general appearance. The tufts are alike, 
but the branches of the Italian Rye rootstock are generally shorter 
and the whole plant forms a denser tuft. The stems on an average 
are higher and more delicate than those of Perennial Rye, from which 
they also differ in being decidedly rough to the hand when rubbed 
upwards below the inflorescence. When the plants are young they 
can be distinguished from those of Perennial Rye Grass by the leaves 
being rolled together when in bud. When fully developed, the 
leaves are comparatively broad, soft in texture and brightgreen. 
The inflorescence has the same general appearance as that of Peren- 
nial Rye but differs in some important points. Thus a spikelet 
contains a greater number of flowers, generally from ten to thirty, 
When the spike is developed, the grass can be easily distinguished 
from Perennial Rye by the flowers. These are enclosed within two 
glumes like those of Perennial Rye, but the outer glume carries a 
long awn at its top. Some varieties, however, are awnless and may 
be distinguished by their rolled young leaves and upwardly rough 
stems. 
Geographical distribution: Italian Rye Grass is indigenous 
to western and southern Europe, northern Africaand Asia Minor. 
It has been sparingly introduced into North America and is found 
in only a few places in Canada. 
Habitat: It grows naturally in meadows, along ditches and 
roads, in gardens, openings in woods, etc. 
Cultural conditions: Italian Rye Grass is productive on soil 
rich in humus, sandy and calcareous loams, and on marls with enough 
