Eragrostis sterilis Domin

Compactly tufted perennials, eglandular; cataphylls chartaceous, glabrous. Culms erect, 60–90 cm high, sometimes pruinose near nodes. Leaves mostly glabrous and smooth; sheath abruptly wider than blade; ligule 0.2–0.3 mm long; blade tightly involute, straight, filiform, scaberulous, often sparsely pilose above. Panicles loose to rather dense, interrupted in lower part, 13–27 cm long, 4–10 cm wide; branches spreading or reflexed, entirely spikelet-bearing. Spikelets shortly pedicellate, linear, 5.5–30 mm long, 1.5–3 mm wide; rachilla flexuose, thickened; florets 13–85, closely overlapping. Glumes unequal, lanceolate or ovate; lower glume 1.3–1.6 mm long; upper glume 1.8–2 mm long. Lemma lanceolate or ovate, 1.5–2.2 mm long, acute, membranous, 3-nerved, often scaberulous. Palea usually ±half as long as lemma; body spathulate, ciliolate at apex; keels scaberulous except near base; flaps distinctly narrower than body. Stamens usually 2; anthers 0.3–0.5 mm long. Grain extremely rare, not compressed, ellipsoid, c. 0.5 mm long.

Grows on sands and sandy loams, often near water.