Loosely tufted perennial 2-7 dm, sometimes with short leafy stolons; lvs not conspicuously crowded toward the base; blades of the cauline lvs flat, 4-6 cm נ1-3 mm; infl 5-20 cm, distinctly longer than thick even when fully expanded, the scabrous branches spreading at anthesis, later more erect; spikelets 1.9-2.5 mm; lemma 1.3-1.9 mm, bearing a bent awn to 4.5 mm near the middle; callus very shortly bearded; palea obsolete; anthers 1-1.8 mm; 2n=14, 28, 35, 42, 56. Native of Europe, intr. in fields and meadows at low altitudes from Nf. and Que. to Del., W.Va., Tenn., and Mich.

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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