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

Habitat: Fields, meadows, roadsides, wastelots, and other disturbed areas.

Flowers: June-July

Origin: Introduced from Eurasia

Growth Duration: Annual

Conservation Status: Not of concern

Pollination: Wind

Glabrous annual, the culms 2-4 dm. tall.

Sheaths open, glabrous; auricles well-developed, 1-2 mm. long; ligules barely 1 mm. long; blades 3-4 mm. broad, sparsely hairy.

Inflorescence a terminal spike 4-7 cm. long, sometimes partially enclosed in the inflated upper sheath; spikelets 3 per node, 1-flowered, all well developed; central spikelet sessile, the glumes 2-3 cm. long, broadened and long-hairy basally; lateral spikelets short-pedicillate, the glumes narrower than those of the central spikelet; rachilla of the lateral spikelets prolonged past the floret 2.5-3.5 mm., bristle-like.