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Bearded darnel

Lolium temulentum

Family: Poaceae Genus: Lolium Species: temulentum

Synonyms: Lolium temulentum var. scabrum, Festuca temulenta, Lolium maximum, Lolium gussonei, Lolium arvense var. minus, Lolium robustum, Lolium temulentum subvar. robustum, Lolium temulentum f. muticum, Lolium temulentum var. dissitum, Lolium temulentum var. macrochaeton, Lolium album, Lolium longiglume, Lolium temulentum subsp. speciosum, Lolium aegyptiacum, Lolium temulentum var. arvense, Lolium temulentum var. decipiens, Lolium temulentum var. brevisetum, Lolium arvense var. majus, Lolium temulentum var. aristatum, Lolium speciosum, Lolium temulentum var. agricolum, Lolium speciosum var. scabrum, Lolium arvense var. liniforme, Lolium temulentum subsp. robustum, Lolium temulentum subsp. arvense, Lolium temulentum var. muticum, Lolium temulentum var. album, Lolium temulentum subsp. gussonei, Lolium asperum, Lolium infelix, Lolium decipiens, Loliola pratensis, Lolium temulentum var. robustum, Lolium lucidum, Lolium temulentum var. semiglabrum, Lolium temulentum var. laevigatum, Lolium triticoides, Lolium arvense var. speciosum, Lolium temulentum var. submuticum, Lolium temulentum f. macrochaeton, Lolium temulentum subvar. speciosum, Lolium temulentum f. arvense, Lolium giganteum, Lolium temulentum f. leve, Lolium temulentum var. leptochaeton, Lolium temulentum subsp. gracile, Lolium pseudolinicola, Lolium cuneatum, Lolium arvense var. minor, Bromus temulentus, Lolium arvense var. geniculatum, Lolium arvense var. muticum, Lolium temulentum var. maximum, Lolium temulentum var. laeve, Lolium arvense var. major, Lolium temulentum var. robustissimum, Lolium temulentum f. robustum, Lolium remotum subvar. asperum, Craepalia temulenta, Lolium remotum f. asperum, Lolium temulentum subsp. cuneatum, Lolium temulentum f. speciosum, Lolium arvense, Lolium temulentum var. subbivalve, Lolium arvense var. hostii, Lolium berteronianum, Lolium temulentum var. longisetum, Lolium annuum, Lolium temulentum var. speciosum

Bearded darnel (en)
Lolium temulentum — flower
Lolium temulentum — flower

Botanical Description

Lolium temulentum, bearded darnel or poison ryegrass, is an annual grass in the family Poaceae with a near-cosmopolitan distribution as a weed of cultivation, especially in cereal crops. Slender, erect culms reach up to about a metre tall and bear flat, scabrid leaf blades. The inflorescence is a stiff, terminal spike with spikelets set edgewise into alternate notches of the rachis; each spikelet has a single outer glume and several florets bearing long awns. The grains, deep purple-black when fully ripe, closely resemble those of wheat, a similarity reflected in regional names such as 'false wheat'. The plant is frequently colonised by an endophytic fungus (Neotyphodium sp.) whose loline alkaloids, sometimes compounded by ergot infection, make ingestion of the grain toxic and intoxicating to humans and livestock.

Native Region: Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Austria, Azores, Baleares, Baltic States, Belarus, Bulgaria, Canary Is., Central European Rus, China North-Central, China Southeast, Corse, Cyprus, Czechoslovakia, East Aegean Is., East European Russia, Egypt, France, Greece, Gulf States, Hungary, India, Iran, Iraq, Italy, Kazakhstan, Kirgizstan, Korea, Krasnoyarsk, Kriti, Krym, Kuwait, Lebanon-Syria, Libya, Madeira, Manchuria, Morocco, North Caucasus, North European Russi, Northwest European R, Oman, Pakistan, Palestine, Poland, Portugal, Qinghai, Romania, Sardegna, Saudi Arabia, Selvagens, Sicilia, Spain, Sri Lanka, Tadzhikistan, Tibet, Transcaucasus, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkey-in-Europe, Turkmenistan, Tuva, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, West Himalaya, Xinjiang, Yemen, Yugoslavia

Cultural & Historical Context

Traditional American Uses

None Documented

Chemistry & External Identifiers

Trefle ID
231159

Important Disclaimer

This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace professional medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before using any herbal remedy, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, or taking medications.