Culms 55–75 cm tall, 2–2.5 mm thick. Spikes 10–25 cm long; internodes 10–12 mm. Spikelets 20–25 mm, with 6–12 florets.
Leymus simplex var. luxurians grows at a few locations in Wyoming. It sometimes grows close to var. simplex. It may represent clones that have access to more water and/or more nutrients but the absence of intermediate plants suggests a genetic distinction.