Elymus multicaulis Karelin & Kirilov, Bull. Soc. Imp. Naturalistes Moscou 14: 868. 1841; Aneurolepidium multicaule (Karelin & Kirilov) Nevski; E. aralensis Regel; E. aralensis var. aristatus Regel; E. aralensis var. enervius Regel; E. aralensis var. glaucus Regel; Triticum aralense (Regel) F. Hermann.

Culms solitary or tufted, erect, 50–80 cm tall, 1.5–3 mm in diam., 1–5-noded, glabrous, but scabrous or pubescent below spike. Leaf sheath usually brown or purplish at base, smooth to densely pubescent; ligule 1–2 mm, membranous; leaf blade glaucous, flat or involute, 10–30 × 0.3–0.8 cm, abaxial surface smooth to puberulent, adaxial surface scabrous, puberulent, or sometimes pilose. Spike 5–14 × 0.6–1 cm; rachis scabrous or pubescent, margin ciliate. Spikelets 2 or 3 per node, 0.8–1.5 cm, with 2–6 florets. Glumes not covering base of first lemma, subulate, 5–11 mm, 1-veined, hirsutulous. Lemma lanceolate or broadly so, obscurely 5-veined, smooth, glabrous, but callus puberulent; first lemma 5–9 mm. Palea shorter than lemma, ciliate along keels. Anthers 3–4 mm. Fl. and fr. May–Aug. 2n = 42.

Plants of this species with a pubescent leaf blade were described as "Leymus bruneostachyus" (N. R. Cui & D. F. Cui in N. R. Cui, Fl. Xinjiang. 6: 603. 1996), but that name was not validly published because no type was indicated (Saint Louis Code, Art. 37.1).

Alkaline meadows, fields, saline soils or pebbles, roadsides. Xinjiang [Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan; SW Asia, Europe].