It is a spreading perennial tussock grass from 10 to 50 cm (3.9 to 19.7 in) in height.

[4] It was originally published by Carl Linnaeus in 1753, under the name Agrostis virginicus.

It was transferred into Sporobolus by Karl Sigismund Kunth in 1829.

[5] It grows in Australia, New Zealand, many Pacific Islands, the Caribbean, Africa, India, China and Indonesia.

It is widespread in Australia,[6] occurring in every state, although in New South Wales it is considered naturalised.