Distribution: Occurring east of the Cascades crest in Washington; British Columbia to California, east to the northern Great Plains.

Habitat: Sagebrush-steppe, arid grasslands, forest edges, and other dry, open areas in the intermountain west.

Flowers: June-July

Origin: Native

Growth Duration: Perennial

Conservation Status: Not of concern

Pollination: Wind

Tufted perennial with short rhizomes, the culms puberulent, 1-2 m. tall in clumps up to 1 m. broad.

Sheaths open; auricles well-developed on some leaves; ligules 3-7 mm. long, puberulent; blades flat, 10-20 mm. broad, very tough, scabrous.

Inflorescence a terminal, stiff spike 12-20 cm. long, the spike sometimes compound; spikelets usually 3 per node, often one or more pedicillate; spikelets 4- to 6-flowered; glumes narrow, tapered from the base, 10-20 mm. long; lemmas 10-15 mm. long usually with awns 2-7 mm. long; paleas about equal to the lemmas.