Plants are usually rather stemmy with few broad leaves.
Individual stems tend to bend at the joints. Occurrence Common throughout most of the state below 6,000 feet, but particularly abundant in desert and semidesert areas in the upper southern desert shrub and desert grassland areas. This grass is known to occur in all counties of the state except Apache and Yuma. Forage Value Moderately palatable, more so during the summer rainy season than in the spring. The plants are most palatable before the numerous hairy seed heads develop.