Rhizome 2–4 mm diam. Root 1 per node, rarely 2. Stem to 1.5 m long, 1–1.5 mm diam. Leaves in groups of 6–10. Leaf sheath 6–10 mm long, with margins overlapping in lower half only; ligule 1 mm long; auricles 2 mm long. Leaf blade 10–80 mm long, 3–10 mm wide, l: w c. 2.5: 10, often twisted c. 180º in upper half; apex lunate to truncate with 2 acute marginal teeth; longitudinal veins 8–21. Male flower with pedicel 5–6 mm long; anthers 7–10 mm long, each with 2 or 3 branched appendages. Female flower with 4 or more scarious, ciliate bracts 8 mm long; style 4–6 mm long; stigmas 30 mm long. Pericarp lobes in 2 whorls, each whorl with 2 narrow and 2 broad lobes. Viviparous seedling with comb of grappling apparatus 8–10 mm long; narrow lobes each with 7–11 bristles; broad lobes each with 13–18 bristles.
Occurs intertidally to 30 m deep on mud,sand, grit, shell and rock substrate.
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