Perennial aquatic herb. Rhizome woody, fibre-covered, c. 14 mm diam. Tubers ellipsoid to obovoid, 8–25 mm long, 4.5–8 mm diam.; terminating roots 20–30 mm long. Leaves ± linear, with floating extremities at least on plants growing in deeper water, to 89 cm long and 20 mm wide; basal sheath tapered; T.S. c. 3 cm below sheath summit apparently planoconvex with sheath margins not touching. Scape at fruiting c. 40–84 cm long, 3–9 mm diam. Infructescence a raceme, 5.5–46 cm long, 12–23 mm diam.; pedicels 0.5–4 mm long. Fruits c. (16–) 40–166 per infructescence, loosely touching to well-spaced basally, ± globular but distorted by varied spread of carpels, 8.5 mm long, 6.0 mm diam. Carpels (2–) 3–6, 1–6 maturing; central axis absent; mature carpels free, erect or slightly twisted, strongly incurved, to 14 mm long when measured around curvature; lateral faces ±flat; dorsal and lateral ridges prominent, narrow-rounded.
Occurs in fresh, still to flowing water to 1 m deep, edging permanent lakes and streams or sometimes in ephemerally flooded sites.
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