It is native to the western United States, where it occurs from Washington to California and east to Montana and Wyoming.

[2] This is a tufted perennial grass with erect stems reaching about 75 centimeters in maximum height.

The spikelet has a sharp tip and a long, hairy awn which may exceed 5[3][4] to 10[5] centimeters in length.

This is a common grass in many plant communities in the Pacific Northwest and Great Basin in the US.

Many grazing animals avoid the grass when it matures, because the spikelets are sharp and hard.