| 1. | Glume 1/4-3/4 spikelet length | 2 |
| Glume ±equal to spikelet length | 3 | |
| 2. | Lemmas distinctly awned | *L. multiflorum (NSW VIC TAS SA WA QLD) |
| Lemmas unawned or very rarely awned | *L. perenne (NSW VIC TAS NT SA WA QLD) L. perenne var. cristatum |
|
| 3. | Florets turgid at maturity | 4 |
| Florets not turgid at maturity | 5 | |
| 4. | Lemmas awnless | *L. temulentum f. arvense (NSW VIC TAS SA WA QLD) L. arvense |
| Lemmas awned | *L. temulentum f. temulentum (NSW VIC SA WA QLD) | |
| 5. | Rachis thick and rigid; glume subequal to spikelet | *L. loliaceum (NSW VIC TAS SA WA) L. rigidum subsp. lepturoides, L. subulatum |
| Rachis thin and flexuose; glume slightly shorter than spikelet | *L. rigidum (NSW VIC TAS NT SA WA QLD) |
Key to Lolium derived from Willis 1970; Kloot 1983
Taxonomic name: