From Flora of Indiana (1940) by Charles C. Deam

This grass is found in wet marshes, on mucky borders of lakes and streams, and in springy places in general, hence it is found mostly in our lake area. Here it was once frequent, but it is now rather local on account of drainage.

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Indiana Coefficient of Conservatism: C = 3

Wetland Indicator Status: FACW

Deam (1929): This grass sometimes attains gigantic size. Schneck reports having found "specimens 19 feet high" (Rpt. Ind. Geol. Surv 7:573. 1876). The blades of this grass are usually heavily infested with plant lice so that it is often difficult to obtain a suitable herbarium specimen. This species is said to fruit rarely.