It is native throughout Europe (including Iceland), and also western and southwestern Asia (south to Jordan and Iran), and northwestern Africa (Morocco to Tunisia).

[4] The leaves are 4–10 mm (0–0 in) wide, bright green, broad, slightly hairy, and rough.

[4] The panicle is up to 30 cm (12 in), and the bunched spikelets have projecting and angled awns up to 17 mm (1 in) long, green or purplish.

This means that it can be found with species such as Dactylis glomerata (also known as cock's-foot and orchard grass), and Filipendula ulmaria (also known as meadow-sweet).

It can colonise and stabilise limestone scree, bare calcareous cliffs, maritime shingle and coastal dunes.