Plants perennial; usually cespitose, sometimes rhizomatous. Culms 30-100 cm, usually erect,
sometimes decumbent or geniculate. Leaves
evenly distributed; sheaths open; auricles
well developed; ligules membranous; blades flat to loosely involute. Inflorescences terminal spikes, erect, with
1 spikelet per node; internodes (7)10-20(28)
mm at midlength, lower internodes often longer than those at midlength. Spikelets (8)12-25 mm, 1.1-1.5(2) times
the length of the internodes, usually appressed, sometimes slightly divergent, with
4-9 florets; disarticulation above
the glumes and below the florets. Glumes
unequal, from shorter to slightly longer than the lowest lemma in the spikelets,
lanceolate to oblanceolate, (3)4-5(7)-veined, usually acute to obtuse,
occasionally truncate, narrowing beyond midlength, veins prominent; lemmas inconspicuously 5-veined,
unawned or terminally awned, awns straight to strongly bent and divergent; anthers 4-8 mm. x = 7. Haplome St. Name
from the Greek pseudo, -false-, and
the genus Roegneria, an Asian taxon
often included in Elymus.
