Plants annual or perennial, never stoloniferous, sometimes with creeping rhizomes 0.5–1 mm thick, tubers absent. Culms terete, to 90 cm × 2 mm. Leaves: distal leaf sheaths usually persistent, thinly membranous to papery. Spikelets terete, to 13 × 4 mm. Flowers: styles 2-fid or with to ca. 1/2 3-fid. Achenes biconvex or rarely to ca. 1/2 trigonous; angles keeled (costate), at least distally. Tubercles distinct from achene apex in color, texture, and form.

Distribution

Worldwide, primarily New World temperate regions.

Discussion

Species 18 (9 in the flora).

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

Eleocharis (sect. Eleogenus) ser. Maculosae, Eleocharis (sect. Eleogenus) ser. Ovatae