Annual, culms 8-65cm high, usually erect. Leaf-blades 2-15cm long, 0.5-3mm wide, rough on the margins, shortly hairy above. Inflorescence a sparingly branched, erect or slightly nodding panicle or a raceme, 5-35cm long, usually partly included in the uppermost leaf-sheath; pedicels up to 2.5mm long, usually not less than 0.6mm. Spikelets 6-10.5mm long (excluding the awns), breaking up at maturity below each fertile floret; most florets fertile, the upper 1-2(-3) gradually reduced and male or sterile. Lower glume 0.4-2.5mm long, a tenth to two-fifths the length of the upper; upper glume 2.5-6.5mm long (including the awn up to 1mm); fertile lemma 4.5-7.5mm long, with an awn usually 1-2 times as long, finely 5-nerved, glabrous or pubescent; anthers 1(-3), 0.4-0.8 (-1.3)mm long, usually included at anthesis.

Fl. & Fr. Per.: April-July.

Type locality: Europe.

Distribution: Pakistan (Punjab, N.W.F.P., Gilgit & Kashmir); Central and southern Europe and the Mediterranean region eastwards through the Middle East to India and southern USSR; widely introduced in temperate countries.

Rat’s-tail Fescue is usually found as a weed of cultivation. 1200-3000m.