HABIT	AN ANNUAL GRASS.
STEMS	STEMS ARE ERECT, OFTEN FLATTENED, WITHOUT HAIRS (GLABROUS), REACHING 3 FEET IN HEIGHT, AND OFTEN WITH A REDDISH TINT AT THE BASE.
LEAVES	LEAF BLADES MAY REACH 12 INCHES IN LENGTH AND 7 TO 12 MM IN WIDTH, AND HAVE LONG SILKY HAIRS AT THE LEAF BASES. AURICLES ARE ABSENT AND THE LIGULE IS A FRINGE OF HAIRS REACHING 2 MM IN LENGTH.
FLOWERS	THE SEED HEAD IS A CYLINDRICAL BRISTLY PANICLE, REACHING 6 INCHES IN LENGTH AND 1/3-2/3 INCH IN WIDTH. SPIKELETS ARE APPROXIMATELY 3 MM LONG, GREEN, AND EACH SPIKELET HAS 1-3 BRISTLES THAT ARE 5-10 MM LONG. THE BRISTLES TURN YELLOW AT MATURITY, GIVING THE PLANT IT’S NAME.
SEEDS	MORE PROMINENTLY CROSS-RIDGED, AND YELLOWISH OR STRAW-COLOURED.