Glabrous aquatic or semiaquatic herb with creeping stems often reddish, having ascending or erect apical parts, 5–60 cm. long or tall, rooting at the lower nodes.. Leaves decussate; blades ± round, obovate or oblong, 0.5–2.5 cm. long, 0.35–1.1 cm. wide, rounded at apex, subcordate or truncate at the base; venation often ± yellowish; petiole 0.5–3.5 mm. long.. Flowers solitary, 4-merous, heterostylous; pedicels 2–5(–7) mm. long; bracteoles linear, 1–1.5 mm. long.. Calyx often pink, broadly cylindrical, 3.5–5 mm. long, 2.5–3 mm. wide, 8-veined; sepals broadly triangular, 0.8–1 mm. long, alternating with narrower sinus-horns.. Petals pink, blue-purple, magenta or blue with darker venation, obovate, 6–8 mm. long, 4.5–5 mm. wide, almost immediately deciduous.. Stamens 8 in two unequal whorls; short-styled flowers with stamens 5–7.5 mm. long; long-styled flowers with stamens not exceeding the sepals; anthers blue.. Ovary oblong-ovoid, 2–3.5 mm. long; style up to 1 mm. long in short-styled flowers, 4–4.5 mm. long in long-styled flowers; stigma capitate.. Capsule ellipsoid, 5–6 mm. long.. Fig. 5.
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