Annual. Stems 10–30 cm tall; lower sheaths and blades hairless to hairy, blades flat, 1–4 mm wide. Inflorescence erect, 2–7 cm long, rachis disarticulating at maturity. Spikelets: the 2 laterals staminate, the pedicel 0.5–1 mm long; glumes awn-like but distinctly broad above the base, 8–14 mm long. Lemmas: fertile lemma 5–7 mm long (Lavin in
Lesica et al. 2012. Manual of Montana Vascular Plants. BRIT Press. Fort Worth, TX).
Open dry disturbed sites especially where water intermittently stands; e.g., depressions in pastures, rangeland, and roadsides (Lavin in
Lesica et al. 2012. Manual of Montana Vascular Plants. BRIT Press. Fort Worth, TX).