Distribution: Occurring chiefly west of the Cascades crest in Washington; Alaska to California.

Habitat: Often in shallow water, peaty or sandy shores, marshes, and bog pools.

Flowers: July-September

Origin: Native

Growth Duration: Perennial

Conservation Status: Not of concern

Pollination: Wind

Perennial, often with floating leaves and stems, the stems tufted along slender rhizomes, 1-3 dm. tall, more or less decumbent and rooting at the nodes.

Leaves alternate, the blades semi-terete with prominent partitions, from firm and erect to filiform and lax; leaf bases sheathing, forming auricles 1-2 mm. long.

Heads 2-6 , 6-10 mm. broad, mostly 3- to 10-flowered, on loose peduncles, some of the flowers with short pedicles; perianth 3-4 mm. long, light to dark brown, the 6 segments subequal, narrowly lanceolate, pointed; stamens 3 or 6.

Capsule cylindric, narrowed to a short beak 1-1.5 mm. longer than the perianth.