Distribution: Occurring on both sides of the Cascades crest in Washington; Alaska to California, east across North America to the Atlantic Coast.

Habitat: Wet, disturbed areas that include streambanks, flooded fields, and ditches at low to moderate elevations.

Flowers: June-September

Origin: Introduced from Eurasia

Growth Duration: Perennial

Conservation Status: Not of concern

Pollination: Wind

Stoloniferous perennial, also sometimes rhizomatous, the culms erect to decumbent, 5-8 dm. tall.

Sheaths open; ligules truncate to obtuse, 3-6 mm. long, usually lacerate; blades flat or folded, 4-10 mm. broad.

Inflorescence a compressed to somewhat open panicle 5-30 cm. long, usually purplish, bearing spikelets nearly to the base; spikelets 1-flowered, articulate above the glumes; glumes subequal, 2-2.5 mm. long, acute; lemmas 2/3 to 3/4 as long as the glumes, scabrous on the keel, awnless; palea over 1/2 as long as the lemma; lodicules 2, 0.4 mm. long.