Often decumbent, it has 'kneed' L shaped stems that grow parallel to the ground before turning upwards. The lemma has a very short awn that is included in the glumes or very slightly protruding.  Anthers are bright orange.

Marsh Foxtail has longer awns which are sometimes bent and the anthers are not such a vivid orange colour.

Detailed photographs showing the plant in its habitat, plus photo showing awns and anthers if in flower. (RPR)

Most frequent on drying mud but found in a wide variety of habitats associated with freshwater, including the margins of ponds, ditches, reservoirs and flooded gravel-pits. It has also recently been found as a weed in aquatic garden centres.  It can be very abundant if conditions are suitable, such as the draw-down zone of reservoirs

Flowering June to September.

Annual.

It seems to be fairly widespread in England, but less frequently recorded elsewhere in Britain.

Scarce in Leicestershire and Rutland. In the Flora of Leicestershire (Primavesi and Evans 1988) it was found in 17 tetrads and in the Flora of Rutland (Messenger, 1971) in 2 tetrads.

It is listed in the current VC55 Rare Plant Register (Hall & Woodward, 2022) as Locally Scarce (i.e. present in 4-10 sites)