Loosely tufted perennial without rhizomes; culms (15-)30-70(90)cm high, erect or spreading. Leaf-blades flat, 5-12cm long, 1-3mm wide, flaccid, finely to abruptly pointed, smooth on the margins, smooth or faintly scaberulous on the surfaces; ligule truncate, up to 1mm long. Panicle narrowly ovate, 5-10 (-20) cm long, lax, nodding; branches 2-5 at the lower nodes, ascending or spreading, capillary, flexuous, scaberulous. Spikelets 2-5-flowered, lanceolate to ovate or oblong, 3-6 mm long, green; glumes subequal, 3-nerved, the lower lanceolate, ± subulate in side-view, 2-3mm long, the upper broader, 2.5-3.5mm long; lemmas oblong to lanceolate-oblong in side-view, 2.6-3.6 mm long, blunt, ciliate on the keel and marginal nerves, woolly at the base; palea about as long as the lemma, minutely scabrid along the keels; anthers 1.3-2 mm long.

Fl. & Fr. Per.: June-August.

Type locality: Europe.

Distribution: Pakistan (Punjab, N.W.F.P., Gilgit & Kashmir); widespread in Europe and temperate Asia; North America.

Wood Meadow-grass is a common species in the Himalayas and is quite tolerant of shade, 1300-4000m.