Perennial, shrubby, appressed pilose-pubescent, up to 1 m. tall. Stems erect or ascending, or creeping on water surface, branched, rather stout, often rooting from nodes. Leaves 10-25 x 2-4 cm., short-petioled or subsessile, lanceolate, acuminate; ochreae 1.5- 4.5 cm., densely pilose-pubescent, setose-ciliate at apex. Inflorescences 4-1 1 x 0.5-1 cm., spike-like, cylindrical. Ochreoles shorter than flowers, obovate, obtuse, ciliate. Pedicels hardly exceeding ochreoles in length, somewhat shorter than flowers. Perianth 3-4 mm., pinkish; segments 4-5, obovate, not glandular. Stamens usually 6, included or exserted. Style rather long, 2-partite. Achene about 2 mm. in diam., more or less lenticular, dark brown, shining. FI. May-September.