Rhizomatous perennial; culms up to 1.5 m long, decumbent and sprawling, rooting at the nodes, the terminal portion erect, glabrous or somewhat scabrid-hispid near the nodes, the nodes pubescent. Leaf-blades up to 30 cm long and 1.5 cm wide, coarsely scabrid on both surfaces, often retrorsely hispid along the margins and midrib; ligule truncate, 0.5-1 mm long; sheaths scabrid and often hispidulose between the nerves. Panicle ovate or narrowly ovate, up to 30 cm long, exserted or included. Spikelets elliptic to linear, 4.5-7.5 (-8) mm long; lemma and palea glabrous or ciliate on the keels, glabrous or shortly pubescent on the body. especially along the nerves; stamens 3.

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

Type: Virginia, U.S.A. (LINN).

Distribution: Pakistan (N.W.F.P. & Kashmir); North America, Europe, Central Asia and Japan.

A plant of heavy wet soils, pond and stream margins and occasionally tidal estuaries.