Distribution: Introduced occasionally in western North America; native from Mediterranean to central Asia.

Habitat: Disturbed areas, roadsides, railroad beds

Growth Duration: Annual

Conservation Status: Not of concern

Pollination: Wind

Annual, branched from the base, the culms hollow, decumbent, 17-60 cm. tall.

Sheaths open, the margins transparent; ligules short; blades flat, 2-3 mm. broad.

Inflorescence a terminal, cylindric spike 2.2-6 cm. long; spikelets single at the nodes, 3-5 flowered, flatwise to the rachis and sunken into its curvature; fertile spikelets 2-7 above 3 rudimentary spikelets; glumes 6-10 mm. long, with 2-3 awns 2.5-6 cm. long; lemmas 7-11 mm. long with 2-3 teeth, the central tooth sometimes extended into an awn 10 mm. long.