Annual bunchgrass. Stems 10–40 cm long. Leaves: blades 1–2 mm wide, often curled. Inflorescence of 4 to 7 secund lateral divergent spikes, each 1–2 cm long and with 25 to 45 spikelets. Spikelets 3–4 mm long. Lemmas hairy and with an awn to 2 mm long, disarticulating from the spikelet, rudimentary florets 1 or 2 (Lavin in
Lesica et al. 2012. Manual of Montana Vascular Plants. BRIT Press. Fort Worth, TX).