Annual. Culms tufted, erect or geniculate, up to 70(–150) cm tall, 3–7 mm in diam. Leaf sheaths glabrous to papillose-pilose, margins densely ciliate; leaf blades linear to linear-lanceolate, flat, glabrous or papillose-pilose on both surfaces, base subrounded or subtruncate, margins scabrous, apex acuminate; ligule 1–2 mm. Panicle dense, usually cylindrical, usually tapering upward, 1–24 cm, erect or slightly nodding, branchlets bearing several spikelets each subtended by 3–7(–25) bristles; axis pilose or pubescent; bristles green, brown or purple, 4–12 mm. Spikelets elliptic-oblong, 2–2.5(–3) mm, obtuse; lower glume 1/4–1/3 as long as spikelet, obtuse or rarely acute; upper glume elliptic, as long as spikelet, lower lemma equal to spikelet; lower palea about 1/3 as long as lemma; upper lemma pale green, oblong, finely punctate-rugose, obtuse. Fl. and fr. May–Oct. 2n = 18.

Hill slopes, roadsides, grassy waste places. Anhui, Fujian, Gansu, Guangdong, Guizhou, Hebei, Heilongjiang, Henan, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangsu, Jiangxi, Jilin, Nei Mongol, Ningxia, Qinghai, Shaanxi, Shandong, Shanxi, Sichuan, Taiwan, Xinjiang, Xizang, Yunnan, Zhejiang [temperate and subtropical regions of the Old World; introduced elsewhere].