Culms 40-170 cm, usually ascending to erect, sometimes decumbent and rooting
at the lower nodes, often branching at the upper nodes. Blades glabrous
or scabrous, not exceeding the panicles. Panicles 15-105 cm long, 2-20
cm wide, sometimes partially enclosed by the upper leaf sheaths; branches
(1.5)4-20 cm, ascending to erect. Spikelets 6-14 mm. Lower glumes
1.9-3(4.9) mm, ovate, obtuse to acute, rarely bifid; upper glumes 3-4.7(5.5)
mm, obtuse to acute; lemmas 3-4.7(6) mm, light brown to dark green at maturity,
without a basal dark spot, apices obtuse, acute, or acuminate, sometimes bifid;
anthers 3, 0.5-2.7 mm. Caryopses 1.6-2.3 mm.
Leptochloa fusca subsp. fusca is the most variable of the subspecies.
In North America, it is known only from a few specimens collected at scattered
locations in California; it may no longer be in the Flora region.