Distribution: Occurring on both sides of the Cascades crest in Washington; British Columbia to California, east to Saskatchewan and Colorado.

Habitat: Sagebrush plains to alpine meadows and ridges.

Flowers: May-August

Origin: Native

Growth Duration: Perennial

Conservation Status: Not of concern

Pollination: Wind

Smooth, strongly tufted perennial, the culms hollow, 2-4 dm. tall.

Sheaths closed about half their length; ligules 1-3 mm. long, acute, jagged, glabrous; blades of the fertile stems 1-3.5 mm. broad, flat; blades of the sterile stems 0.5-1 mm. broad, involute, often 1-2 dm. long; all blades with prow-like tips.

Inflorescence a compact, ovoid panicle 2-6 cm. long, greenish or purplish; spikelets 3- to 5-flowered, 5-8 mm. long; flowers usually pistillate, the anthers vestigial or wanting, but occasionally the plants staminate- or perfect-flowered; glumes subequal, 3-nerved, 3.5-5 mm. long, shorter than the first floret; lemmas keeled, 5-nerved, 4.5-6 mm. long, pubescent; paleas slightly shorter than the lemmas, 2-keeled.