Tufted or densely tufted perennial without rhizomes; culms 45-200cm high, usually erect, stout to robust. Leaf-blades flat, prominently ribbed above, up to 60cm long, 3-12 mm wide, scabrid except sometimes below; ligule up to 2mm long, with prominent falcate auricles ciliate (though often sparsely so) on the edge. Panicle lanceolate to ovate, 10-50 cm long, erect or nodding, loose and open or ± contracted, the branches scabrid. Spikelets 4-5-flowered, 10-18 mm long (excluding the awns); lower glume 3-6 mm long, 1-nerved; upper glume 4.5-7mm long, 3-nerved; lemmas lanceolate in side-view, 6-9mm long, minutely scaberulous, awnless or with an awn 1-3(-4)mm long; palea scabrid along the keels: anthers 3-4mm long; ovary glabrous.

Fl. & Fr. Per.: May-July.

Type locality: East Germany.

Distribution: Pakistan (Baluchistan); Europe, temperate Asia and North Africa; introduced in North America.

2300-2700m.