Elymus racemosus Lamarck, Tabl. Encycl. 1: 207. 1792; E. giganteus Vahl; Leymus giganteus (Vahl) Pilger.

Culms to 100 cm tall, ca. 10 mm in diam., stout, scaberulous pubescent below raceme. Leaf sheath membranous at margin; ligule ca. 2 mm, membranous, apex truncate; leaf blade glaucous green, 20–40 × ca. 1.5 cm, abaxial surface smooth, adaxial surface and margin scabrous. Spike 15–30 × 1–2 cm; rachis stout, glabrous. Spikelets 4–6 per node, pale glaucous green, 1.5–2.2 cm, with 3–5 florets. Glumes linear-lanceolate, 12–20 mm, with robust midvein and 2 faint lateral veins, apex long acuminate. Lemma lanceolate, 7-veined, softly hairy proximally, awnless; first lemma 15–20 mm. Palea slightly shorter than lemma. Fl. and fr. Jun–Sep. 2n = 28.

This species is used for forage.

Sandy places. Xinjiang [Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Russia, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan].