Mary E. Barkworth, Julian J.N. Campbell and Bjorn Salomon
Plants cespitose, not rhizomatous. Culms 20–35(50) cm, ascending to erect; nodes concealed. Ligules 0.5–1 mm, erose to ciliate; blades 2.5–5 mm wide. Spikes 4.5–7 cm; internodes 4–6 mm, ciliate, distal cilia longest. Glumes densely hairy, hairs 0.2–0.5 mm, apices mucronate or awned, awns to 1 mm; lemmas densely hairy, hairs 0.2–0.5 mm, apices awned, awns 1–5 mm, straight. 2n = 28.
Elymus alaskanus subsp. hyperarcticus grows on river banks and hillsides. It extends from the Lake Taymyr Basin in Arctic Russia across northern North America toGreenland.