[Cal-IPC] Invasive: Festuca perennis (Italian ryegrass) is an annual or biennial grass (family Poaceae) found throughout California except in the Great Basin and deserts. Italian ryegrass prefers areas with fertile, well-drained soils, including roadsides, fields, orchards and vineyards. Italian ryegrass is commonly cultivated for erosion control, pasture forage, and turf, but has escaped cultivation in many areas. Italian ryegrass is currently very widespread.
Cal-IPC Rating: Moderate (link added by Mary Ann Machi)
[Wikipedia] Europe, Middle East, Asia, northern Africa native: Lolium perenne, common name perennial ryegrass, English ryegrass, winter ryegrass, or ray grass, is a grass from the family Poaceae. It is native to Europe, Asia and northern Africa, but is widely cultivated and naturalised around the world.
Perennial ryegrass is native to southern Europe, the Middle East, North Africa and eastwards to central Asia. As a useful species of grass for fodder and grazing livestock, it has been taken by farmers settling in new areas including North America, South Africa and Australia. (link added by Mary Ann Machi)