Tufted annual; culms up to 50 cm high, erect or geniculately ascending. Leaf-blades flaccid, often ± flat, up to 12 cm long, 1-3 mm wide, hairy above. Spike 3-7 cm long (excluding the awns), yellow. Glumes 2-6 cm long, including the awn, erect or somewhat spreading; lemma body 8-12 mm long, scabrid, produced into an awn 7-12(-15) cm long, 0.8-1.1 mm wide at the base and straight or slightly recurved.

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

Syntypes: Turkey, Scherand ; Georgia, Buxbaum.

Distribution: Pakistan (Baluchistan); North Africa and Southeast Europe eastwards through the Middle East to Central Asia.

According to Humphries (l.c.) this species is doubtfully distinct form the european Taeniatherum caput-medusae (Linn.) Nevski. He also considers the Middle Eastern Taeniatherum asperum (Simonkai) Nevski to be conspecific, thus making the genus monotypic.