Poa distans Jacquin, Observ. Bot 1: 42. 1764; Atropis dis-tans (Jacquin) Grisebach; Puccinellia filiformis Keng.

Perennial, tufted, pale green. Culms erect or geniculate, 20–40(–60) cm tall, ca. 1–2 mm in diam. Ligule 1–2 mm, truncate or toothed; leaf blade flat or conduplicate, 2–10 cm, 1–2 mm wide, abaxial surface scabrid. Panicle open, 5–15 × 5–6 cm; branches 2–6 per node, horizontally spreading or reflexed, lower part naked, scabrid. Spikelets 4–6 mm, florets 3–7; glumes obtuse, lower glume 1–1.5 mm, 1-veined, upper glume 1.5–2 mm, 3-veined; lemmas 1.8–2.2 mm, base pubescent, apex truncate or rounded; palea keels scabrid; anthers 0.5–0.8 mm. Fl. May–Jul. 2n = 28, 42.

Saline moist grassy places, field banks, river valleys, lowland saline abandoned meadows; 100–2000 m. Hebei, Heilongjiang, Henan, Jiangsu, Jilin, Liaoning, Shaanxi, Shandong, Shanxi, Xinjiang [Japan, Kashmir, Kazakhstan, Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan; NW Africa, SW Asia, Europe, North America].