Mary E. Barkworth, Julian J.N. Campbell and Bjorn Salomon
Plants cespitose or shortly rhizomatous. Culms 25–90 cm, sometimes decumbent; nodes often exposed, glabrous or pubescent. Ligules 0.2–0.6 mm; blades 3–7 mm wide. Spikes 3.5–14 cm; internodes scabrous on the edges. Glumes glabrous, scabrous or sparsely hairy, hairs to about 0.2 mm; lemmas glabrous or hairy, sometimes more densely hairy distally, hairs about 0.2 mm, apices unawned or awned, awns to 7 mm, straight.
Elymus alaskanus subsp. alaskanus grows on river banks and hillsides, primarily north of 50° N latitude.