Habit: 		Sod-forming perennial with long running rhizomes.
Culms: 		30-100 cm. tall, smooth, erect, simple, slightly compressed, tufted, sending out
		numerous running rootstocks from the base.
Blades: 	1-6 mm. wide, those of the stem 5-15 cm. long, the basal ones longer, soft,
		flat or folded, smooth or nearly so, ending in a boat-shaped tip.
Sheaths: 	Overlapping below, somewhat keeled, smooth or rough.
Ligule: 	Membranous, truncate, usually less than 2 mm. long.
Inflorescence: 	Panicle 5-20 cm. long, much exserted, ovate to pyramidal, the branches
		ascending or spreading, the lowermost usually in whorls of 5, spikelet bearing above the middle.
Spikelets: 	Crowded at the ends of branches, 3-5-flowered, 3-6 mm. long, flattened,
		the rachis articulate between the flowers, the uppermost floret imperfect or rudimentary.
Glumes: 	2, persistent, slightly unequal, scabrous on the strong keels, acute, the
		first 1-nerved, the second 3-nerved.
Lemmas: 	2.5-3.5 mm. long, acute, copiously webbed at the base, 5-nerved, silky
		pubescent on lower half or two thirds of marginal nerves and keel, the intermediate
		nerves distinct, glabrous.
Palea: 		Shorter than the lemma, 2-keeled and 2-nerved.
Fruit: 		Grain or caryopsis.
Habitat: 	Meadows, fields and woods. May-July.
Uses: 		Commonly cultivated for lawns and pastures in the humid northern parts of the United States.  Valuable especially in the cool season.