Tufted, erect perennial 2–8 dm; lvs 1–3 mm wide, often involute; ligules 1–3 mm; infl 5–25 cm, narrowly contracted to broadly ovoid, the scabrous branches erect or ascending to less often spreading or descending at maturity, the lowest bearing spikelets chiefly above the middle; pedicels very scabrous; spikelets slender, 4–8 mm, 3–9-fld; glumes narrowly ovate, the first 1–2.4 mm, the second 1.6–2.9 mm; lemmas broadly oblong, obscurely veined, minutely hairy at base, scabrous on the margins toward the acute to narrowly (seldom broadly) obtuse tip; first lemma 2.1–3.5 mm; anthers 0.7–1.2 mm; 2n=28, 42, 56. Alkaline places; Wis. to B.C., s. to Kans., N.M., and Calif., and occasionally intr. e. to Me. and N.Y. (P. airoides)
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