Strongly rhizomatous, stiffly erect, 2-4 dm; culms scabrous below the infl; lvs basally disposed, erect, mostly under 2 mm wide, ±involute, scabrous, sharp- pointed; ligules 3-5 mm; infl dense, erect, ±interrupted, 5-10 cm, usually pale; glumes 4-5 mm, acuminate, scabrous; lemma nearly as long as the glumes, the awn attached 1 mm above the base and about equaling it; palea nearly as long as the lemma; callus-hairs half as long as the lemma; rachilla-vestige 1.5 mm, its beard nearly equaling the lemma; 2n=28. Plains and dry open ground; Minn. and Man. to se. B.C., s. to S.D. and Colo.

Gleason, Henry A. & Cronquist, Arthur J. 1991. Manual of vascular plants of northeastern United States and adjacent Canada. lxxv + 910 pp.

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