Montana Field Guide

Annuals 15-120(160) cm tall. Culms glabrous, pith-filled to hollow, decumbent to ascending or erect, sometimes rooting at lower nodes. Leaf blades 4-35(-50) cm long, 2-20 mm wide; sheaths compressed and keeled. Panicle 7-22(-34) mm long, the primary branches appressed or spreading, the branches glabrous to variously hairy, setae (longer, stiffer, and thicker hairs) if present, seldom exceeding length of spikelets. Upper glume and sterile lemma usually both bearing pustular-based setae. Lower glume 1-2.8 mm long; upper glume 2.8-5 mm long, acuminate or awned up to 2.5 mm long; sterile (lower) lemma 2.3-4.5 mm long, acuminate or awned up to about 16 mm; sterile palea ca. 1.5-3.5 mm long; fertile lemma 2.3-5 mm long, acuminate, with a firm, non-withering tip that is neither membranous nor separated from the lemma body by a fine line of hairs. Anthers 0.4-1 mm long (adapted from: Sutherland, 1986, in Flora of the Great Plains).

Lavin (2012, in Lesica [2012], Manual of Montana Vascular Plants) included E. muricata in synonymy of E. crusgalli but noted that many MT specimens appear to have the morphology of E. muricata; namely the firm and stiff apex of the fertile lemma, which also lacks the minute hairs at the base of the tip of the fertile lemma that helps diagnose E. crusgalli.

Typically in moist and somewhat disturbed areas.