Distribution: Eastern Washington south to southern California, east to the Atlantic Coast.

Habitat: Grasslands to desert areas, often on saline soils and wasteland.

Flowers: April - June

Origin: Native

Growth Duration: Annual

Conservation Status: Not of concern

Glabrous to pubescent annual, the culms 1-4 dm. tall.

Sheaths open; auricles lacking; ligules barely 0.5 mm. long; blades flat, 2-4 mm. broad.

Inflorescence an erect, terminal spike 3-7 cm. long; spikelets 3 per node, 1-flowered, the central spikelet sessile, its lemma with an awn 10-15 mm. long; lateral spikelets on a short, curved pedicle, their florets reduced, awn-tipped; glumes of the central spikelet and the inner glumes of the lateral spikelets broadened above the base for the length of the floret, 0.5-1.8 mm. broad, narrowed to slender awns 10-12 mm. long, the outermost glumes shorter, awn-like from the base.