[2] It is native to the western United States[3] and is named for its type locality: Salina Pass, Utah.

[4] There are three subspecies, including:[2] Salina pass wild rye is a perennial grass forming dense clumps of stems up to 1.4 meters in height.

The inflorescence is a spike with spikelets mostly solitary or sometimes paired.

[3] This plant grows in a number of habitat types in the western United States.

In Colorado it is often codominant with Wyoming big sagebrush, shadscale, and Gardner's saltbush.