General:
Perennial, densely tufted grass from fibrous roots; stems (30) 40-90 cm tall, without visible nodes.

Leaves:
Sheaths conspicuous at the base of the stems, persisting for more than 1 year, remaining entire not shredding into fibres; blades 10-60cm long, flat or folded; ligules 0.1-0.5 mm long.

Flowers:
Inflorescence an open panicle, 5-18 cm long, the branches 2.5-7 (13) cm long, the lower ones rigid, 2-7 cm long, erect or ascending, not borne on one side of the axis; spikelets usually pale green below and somewhat puplish abouve, (3- ) 4 to 5- (7-) flowered, 8-12 (16) mm long; lower glumes 4.5-7,5 (8.5) mm long, the upper ones 5.3-8.2 (9) mm long; lemmas (6.2) 7-8.5 (10) mm long, the margins not conspicuously translucent, long-pointed, awned, the awns 0.5-1.5 mm long; anthers (3.30 4.5-6 mm long; ovary tops hairy.

Notes:
The branches of the inflorescence tend to be stiffer in F. campestris than in F. altaica.

Source:  The Illustrated Flora of British Columbia

If more than one illustration is available for a species (e.g., separate illustrations were provided for two subspecies) then links to the separate images will be provided below. Note that individual subspecies or varietal illustrations are not always available.

Illustration Source:  The Illustrated Flora of British Columbia

Flower Colour:
Yellow

Blooming Period:
Mid Summer

Fruit/Seed characteristics:
Colour: Brown
Present from Summer to Fall

According to the USDA, this species is a known allelopath.

Source:  The USDA

Synonyms and Alternate Names:
Festuca altaica var. major (Vasey) Gleason
Festuca scabrella var. major Vasey