Monoecious or dioecious, terrestrial mat-forming herb 10–15 cm tall, or aquatic with stems to 30 cm long. Leaves in terrestrial plants all alternate, linear, entire, the lamina 5–8 mm long; in aquatic plants dimorphic, the submerged ones scattered, ovate, pectinate, with up to 20 pinnae, lamina 15–35 mm long, the emergent ones alternate, whorled above, terete, entire, lamina 10–18 mm long. Bracteoles of male flowers deltoid to oblong, 0.6–0.9 mm long; of female flowers linear-lanceolate, 0.4 mm long. Flowers 4-merous, solitary. Male flowers sessile, later on pedicel 0.4–5 mm long; sepals absent; petals 2.6–2.8 mm long, cream to reddish; stamens 8. Female flowers sessile; sepals and petals absent; ovary 4-locular; styles reflexed; stigmas white. Fruit cubiform, deep purplish black; mericarps cylindrical, 0.7–1 mm long, obliquely truncate, with 2–4 longitudinal papillose ribs.
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