Plants annual, forming loose tufts or mats. Flowering stems 20–80 cm long, spreading or ascending from spreading bases, rooting at the lowermost nodes. Leaf sheaths hairy on the surface and margins, the ligule 0.5–1.8 mm long. Leaf blades 2–16 cm long, 3–10(–12) mm wide, moderately to densely hairy on both surfaces. Inflorescences of 3–10 spikelike racemes, these 4–15 cm long, arranged digitately at the tip of the main inflorescence axis or less commonly in 2 or 3 whorls on a panicle with a short main axis, the spikelets with stalks 0.5–3.0 mm long, grouped in 2 rows on 1 side of the axis of the spikelike raceme, this relatively broadly winged, the wings as wide as or wider than the midrib of the axis. Spikelets 2.4–3.2 mm long, elliptic in outline. Upper glume 0.8–1.8 mm long, lanceolate to elliptic, bluntly to sharply pointed at the tip, glabrous or minutely hairy. Sterile floret with the lemma 2.2–3.2 mm long, elliptic, sharply pointed at the tip, the lateral nerves and often the midnerve roughened with short, stiff teeth, sometimes also hairy between the nerves or especially near the margins. Fertile floret with the lemma 2.1–3.0 mm long, elliptic, sharply pointed at the tip, grayish brown at maturity. Anthers 0.5–0.9 mm long, yellow. 2n=18, 28, 34, 36, 54, 76, mostly 2n=36. August–October.

Introduced, scattered to common nearly throughout the state (native of Europe; introduced nearly worldwide). Ledges of bluffs, glades, and disturbed portions of upland prairies; also crop fields, fallow fields, pastures, lawns, gardens, sidewalks, roadsides, railroads, and open, disturbed areas.

This species is a serious weed in lawns and cultivated areas. Steyermark (1963) noted that in some areas it is considered a good forage plant for late summer, and that it does not appear to contribute greatly to hay fever.