Glyceria fluitans (L.) R.Br.

Loosely tufted or forming loose masses in shallow water. Leaf-sheath closed, papery, light brown or purplish, glabrous, striate, keeled. Ligule (4)-8-10 mm, membranous, tapered. Leaf-blade 10-23 cm × (2)-4.5-7.5 mm, folded or flat, striate, minutely papillose to tubercular-scabrid especially on ribs; margins finely scabrid, rather abruptly narrowed to stiff tip. Culm (20)-45-75 cm, erect or spreading, sometimes prostrate or floating at base, few-noded, internodes glabrous. Panicle (20)-30-55 cm, secund, lax, linear, open at anthesis, later contracted; rachis smooth, branches sparingly scabrid, paired at lower panicle nodes, longer branch with 1-4 spikelets, shorter branch with 1-2 spikelets. Spikelets (15)-20-30 mm, 7-13-flowered, narrowly oblong, green or purple. Glumes unequal, elliptic-oblong; lower 2-3-(4) mm, 1-nerved, acute, upper 3-4-(5.5) mm, 1-(3)-nerved, subobtuse. Lemma 6-7.5 mm, 7-nerved, elliptic-oblong or oblong, subobtuse to subacute, minutely scabrid, margins later incurved; nerves not extending into wide hyaline upper margin. Palea = lemma, oblong-lanceolate, apex sharply, shortly bidentate, keel very minutely scabrid, scarcely winged. Rachilla 1.5-1.8 mm, glabrous. Anthers 1.5-2.5 mm. Caryopsis 2-3 × 0.7-1.2 mm.

Shallow water, either stagnant or slow flowing, or in wet soils whether acid or calcareous.

The seeds are used in porridge and soups. They should be soaked until they are swollen then baked or boiled. The flour can be used for bread. The seeds are also chewed.

Can be grown by seedlings.