This grass with a mainly western, strictly Mediterranean distribution, is present in almost all regions of Central and Southern Italy (missing in the Marche and in Umbria), in Liguria and (as an ephemeral weed) in Friuli Venezia Giulia, but is more frequent and locally abundant along the Tyrrhenian coast. It grows in the gaps of Mediterranean garrigue and degraded maquis vegetation, on soils which are dry in summer, from sea level to about 600 m. The species is sporadic in the outer belt of the Sardinian temporary ponds, in contact with dry grasslands and garrigue vegetation. The genus name derives from the Greek 'brachys' (short) and 'podon' (foot), in reference to the subsessile spikelets, the species name in Latin means 'notched'. Flowering period: April to June.

Italian name(s): Brachipodio ramoso (Italia), Paléo delle garighe (Italia).