Distribution: Occurring on both sides of the Cascades crest in Washington; British Columbia south along the coast to northern California, east to Alberta, Montana and Wyoming.

Habitat: Shaded to open woods or moist to dry banks, from near sea level to mountain meadows and dry, rocky slopes at 6000' elevation.

Flowers: June-August

Origin: Native

Growth Duration: Perennial

Conservation Status: Not of concern

Pollination: Wind

Non-rhizomatous perennial, the culms 6-10 dm. tall, usually pubescent at the nodes.

Sheaths closed, often with a few long hairs at the throat; ligules 2-3 mm. long; blades lax, flat, 5-10 mm. broad.

Inflorescence an open panicle 10-18 cm. long, the slender branches drooping; spikelets 5- to 7-flowered, 20-28 mm. long; first glume 5-8 mm. long, 1-nerved, the second 7-10 mm. long, 3-nerved; lemmas pubescent along the marginal nerves but glabrous toward the tip, 8-13 mm. long, with awns 3-8 mm. long from the bifid apex; anthers exerted.